BUFFALO — The effort was there. The shots weren’t.
Wilson fell to Salamanca, 51-32, in the Section VI Class B2 finals on Sunday at Buffalo State.
“I just thought they fought to the end,” Wilson head coach Brian Baker said. “We struggled to score, it’s been like that most of the season. But, we were able to stay in games because of our effort. They hustle, they play the final whistle, and they do it with class. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”
It’s the second consecutive year the Lakewomen exited the postseason in the B2 final. Last year, they lost to Portville, the team they knocked out in the semis this year.
It was also the 10th sectional title game in the last 15 years for Wilson, which hasn’t been champions since 2017.
Emily Phillips, the team’s only senior, hit a 3-pointer from the corner to make it 9-6 after Salamanca jumped out to a 7-3 run early.
It was the only triple of the game for Wilson.
Phillips finished with seven points in the match, but has been a big factor in getting the Lakewomen through the final this year.
“Emily’s been awesome for us,” Baker said. “She did not get the recognition like she should’ve for all-league. But if there’s an MVP of the playoffs for our team, it’s her.”
Fourth-seeded Wilson trailed No. 2 Salamanca, 11-6, after the first quarter.
The Warriors jumped out to a 6-2 run to start the second quarter and closed off the first half with a 24-14 lead over Wilson.
Salamanca (17-6) guard Skyla Dowdy and Leilene Mccomber were dominant for the Warriors, finishing with 15 and 12 points, respectively. Mccomber was a key part of the Warriors win as she had timely buckets and took advantage of her opportunities at the charity stripe.
Nine of the 13 points in the second quarter were courtesy of Dowdy.
“They have good basketball players, great athletes and experience. They were here last year, they’re a group that’s been together for a long time,” Baker said. “They have outside shooters. They have a big inside that can score it. It presents a little bit of a match up problem.”
While Wilson (15-8) collected offensive rebounds, they’re struggling to follow through with second chance points.
Dowdy hit a 3 for the Warriors to put Wilson 10-points behind. The Lakewomen appeared to struggle in combatting Salamanca’s swift and aggressive play.
Wilson trailed 35-21 heading into the final quarter. Salamanca’s offense continued to be a problem for the Lakewomen, and they gave them multiple free buckets from fouls.
Bella Thrush had a steal and basket to close the third quarter, but Wilson was outscored 11-7.
Addy Elia, a freshman who led the team with eight points, made a bucket to start the fourth, but the Warriors quickly jumped out to a 9-2 run to lead by 11.
There were quite a few forced turnovers and intercepted passes for Wilson, but they weren’t able to capitalize and follow through with points.
When the Lakewomen were on the charity stripe, they didn’t take advantage as much as they should’ve, leaving free points on the court.
The Lakewomen expect to have 14 returners next season and return to Buff State.
“They’re motivated,” Baker said. “They’re in the gym, they’re working out, they know what they got to do. They’ll be back.”