HS GIRLS BASKETBALL: ATHENS HOLDS OFF OWEGO TO CLAIM CHOP OUT HUNGER CHAMPIONSHIP (December 30, 2025)
By TIM TAYLOR
Valley Sports Report
ATHENS — Athens overcame a slow start, then held off a late charge to defeat Owego, 35-32, to claim the title at the 2025 CHOP Out Hunger Holiday Basketball Tournament here Tuesday.
The Wildcats missed their first 10 field goal attempts, but only trailed, 7-1, after one quarter of action as Owego experienced shooting troubles as well.
The River Hawks stretched their lead to 11-1 early in the second period on the strength of an Ashlyn Dalton 3-pointer.
“We dug ourselves into an 11-1 hole. Credit to the girls for digging themselves out,” Athens coach Kelly Allen said. “We couldn't get layups, we couldn't get shots to fall. Everything was rimming in and out, but just credit to the girls for sticking with it. We were able to claw our way back with some big shots.”
Alissa Vough, McKenna Jarvis and Allison Kemp combined to sink four free throws then Jarvis drained a pair of 3-pointers and a free throw to counter free throws by Eva Crawford and Searles and pull the Wildcats within a point at 13-12.
Dalton and Searles teamed up for three more free throws to push the lead to 16-12, but Jarvis converted a steal and layup, and Vough found her underneath for an easy basket, tying the game at 16 in the final seconds of the half.
Athens opened the third quarter with a 9-2 run as Vough wrapped baskets around a trey by Kemp and a bucket from Jarvis.
Jarvis added another three and a basket to offset two buckets from Jenna McEvoy, and the Wildcats carried a 30-22 advantage into the final stanza.
“I think our initial foul trouble took us out of what we wanted to do, which was working very well for us, which was our man-to-man defense,” Owego coach Luke McEvoy said. “And then having to come out of that, we left a couple shooters way too open in our zone, which has been an issue here and there for us, and that allowed them to get back in the game, find some momentum.”
“We haven't seen man in a little bit, so we've been really working on zone in practice, so that's my fault,” Allen said. “ It's something we'll continue to balance going back and forth. Credit to their pressure, but we were able to settle down. I think that was the biggest thing.”
Jenna McEvoy hit a pair of free throws, but Kemp drove the lane for a bucket, then Jarvis and Vough added a free throw apiece to make it 34-24 with 1:27 to play.
That’s when the River Hawks got hot. Keely Wicklund sank a free throw, then Searles followed with two more. Katelyn Dodge knocked down a 3-pointer with 35 seconds remaining and Crawford scored 16 seconds later to close the gap to 34-32.
“I was thoroughly impressed with how we regrouped,” coach McEvoy said. “We got our composure back underneath us after several different situations that took place, and they did everything they needed to do to give us a chance in the fourth quarter in a tough environment.”
Kemp sank the back half of a two-shot free throw situation with six seconds to go and Owego’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer was off the mark.
“Obviously, their crowd got behind them, and we couldn't find a rhythm necessarily as well as I would have liked to, but I thought we did everything we needed to do to give ourselves a chance,” coach McEvoy said. “It'll be a game that we will learn plenty from and hopefully make us better down the road.”
The action was aggressive at times, especially after the first quarter. There were 41 total fouls called with each team attempting 20 free throws.
Jarvis led all scorers with 17 points, accounting for all but one point in the middle two quarters. Kemp added eight, Cough had seven and Alexis Mayo tacked on a 3-pointer.
Searles paced Owego with nine, Jenna McEvoy added eight, Crawford chipped in with seven, Dalton had four, Dodge scored three, and Wicklund added one.
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PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.
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