Valley Sports ReportWAVERLY — Waverly kept the game within reach for 2 1/2 quarters, but state-ranked Seton Catholic blew the game open over the final 12 minutes in a 77-40 win here Saturday afternoon in STAC Central Division boys basketball action.
The Saints (11-1) are ranked seventh in the state in Class AA, while the Wolverines (8-4) are an honorable mention in Class A.
"Compared to the first game at their place, I was very pleased with our performance for 2 1/2 quarters," said Waverly coach Lou Judson. "The score is not indicative of how well we played.
"We were with 11 midway through third quarter, we had our opportunities .. but I am disappointed with how we finished," noted Judson. "We continued to break down defensively and not score when we needed to.
"You know (Seton Catholic) is going to make a run, you just have to counter them and we did early counter them early on, we just couldn't keep it up.
"Against any other team we're up 10 or 15 when they went on their run, but against Seton Catholic with as athletic and loaded as they are it's a different story," said Judson. "There is a fine line against a great team, even the smallest mistakes get magnified."
The Saints canned four 3-pointers in the first quarter and jumped out to a 22-8 lead.
Waverly slowed the Seton offense in the second quarter, and kept the deficit at 14 points, with the score at 32-18 at the half.
The Wolverines trimmed the deficit to 11, at 35-24, midway through the third quarter, but the Saints finished off the stanza with a 21-2 blitz to take a 56-26 lead into the final eight minutes.
Seton Catholic, which had 11 3-pointers in the game, knocked down four treys in the fourth quarter and closed the game with a 21-12 run.
Sophomore Jack Pipher led Waverly with 11 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, four rebounds, and one blocked shot, and senior Hogan Shaw had 10 points, including two 3-pointers, and four assists.
Freshman Braiden Judson had five points and three boards for the Wolverines, while senior Porter Daddona had five points and four rebounds, senior Carter Davies scored four points, junior Ben Shaw added three rebounds and two assists, and junior Carson Rockwell grabbed three boards.
Allen Eagles led five Seton Catholic scorers in double-figures with 17 points.
Waverly returns to action Saturday at Owego as it prepares for the upcoming Section IV, Class A playoffs.
"We're going to keep grinding and working hard and I believe we're going to be a tough out in the postseason," said Judson.
—————————
IN PHOTO 1: Waverly's Jack Pipher. IN TOP PHOTO: Waverly's Hogan Shaw. ... PHOTOS BY MATT PATTON.
