Cambridge Flexes, Delaware Academy Wins in the Trenches; Lady Bulldogs Tip-Off Tournament Day 2 Recap

December 1, 2018

The beginning of December, among other things, marks the ceremonial beginning of basketball season in the eastern reaches of Section 4. While Oneonta's Drago tournament was taking place 30 minutes away, defending NYSPHSAA Class D state champion Delaware Academy - now up in Class C thanks to enrollment numbers - hosted their annual tournament.

Last year, this tournament could've been called New York's best exclusively small school tournament, as the championship game featured the eventual D state champs falling to eventual Class C state semifinalist Cambridge. It also featured perennial competitor Cooperstown along with SS Seward, who fell in Section 9's Class C final to eventual state champion Millbrook.

Although all took hits to graduation - especially the hosts, who graduated 4 of their starters - Cambridge not only returns the Phillips twins & Fiona Mooney, but they add varsity ready talent from last year's JV squad. They spent Friday & Saturday flexing in Delhi's gym, following a blowout W over Seward with a blowout W over Cooperstown. In the consolation, after losing to Cooperstown the night before, the host Bulldogs got back to winning ways by establishing their post presence against Seward.

Sophie Phillips (Cambridge 2021) controlled play and tied for the game high with 14 points in their victory Saturday.

Cambridge 60, Cooperstown 28

In the tournament's championship game, Cambridge used an early 13-0 run to seize control of the game, and Cooperstown only briefly cut the deficit back to single digits before an even bigger Cambridge run broke it open for good.

After the teams traded early baskets, Sophie Phillips (Cambridge 2021) got the run going with a pair of baskets. Fellow 2021 Fiona Mooney established herself in the blocks with a pair of field goals, and by the time Stasia Epler (Cambridge 2022) knocked down a three, Cambridge ran their lead to 15-2. Cooperstown answered with 6 quick points to cut their deficit to 15-8, 4 from 2020 Piper Seamon, but that's all the Hawkeyes would score for several minutes as Cambridge took control. After Sophie scored, Lilly Phillips (Cambridge 2021) had 4 straight to start the 2nd quarter. Mooney & Sophie Phillips traded threes, and by the time Lilly Phillips scored twice more, the run was 18-0 and the lead 33-8. The lead extended to 28 by halftime on an Epler corner three to beat the buzzer. In a 2nd half that saw Cambridge freely substituting among its 9 available players - with the Phillips twins and Mooney not seeing the court in the 4th quarter - their lead extended to as much as 36 early in the 4th quarter on an Epler basket.

Stasia Epler (Cambridge 2022) beats the first half buzzer with the corner trey. She tied for a game high, finishing with 14 points.

Sophie & Lilly Phillips, both already Division I offered as sophomores, finished with 14 & 10 points respectively. Stasia Epler, a promising freshman, shared the team high with Sophie with 14 points. She knocked down 4 of Cambridge's threes in the process. Fiona Mooney, also a sophomore, added 12 points to complete a dynamic quartet of underclassmen. Piper Seamon had a solid game for the Hawkeyes and led the way with 14 points in defeat.

#JeffsNotes

- I've seen the girls constantly over the last several months so it's not news, but to anyone wondering about Cambridge, I'll just get it out of the way now... as advertised. Of course, the twins are a year older, stronger, and better. If the last time you saw them was last year, you'll notice they grew too - both around 5'11" with all sorts of length and quickness, along with the skill & IQ to match. Fiona Mooney has noticeably got stronger and is turning into a physical force in the paint. However, it's more than just them, which separates this team. Stasia Epler & Ruth Nolan - another sophomore - are varsity ready youngsters that were on JV last year. Brecke Gifford, who started down low with Mooney, provided a physical rebounding presence. With the other pieces - especially additional guards that can step up - this isn't the sort of team that opponents can just throw a triangle & 2 on and expect success. They'll be a fun watch this year.

Lilly Phillips (Cambridge 2021) is taking a lead role for a strong Cambridge squad this winter.

- Nice to see Piper Seamon have a good game for Cooperstown. People in the area may feel like she's been around forever, as this is the junior's 4th season playing varsity basketball - the first at Richfield Springs before transferring to Cooperstown. In the past, she has been more of a utility player that would do a little of everything. With the graduation of three in the 2018 class now playing collegiate ball (Julie Ford - Albany, Meaghan Perrino - Geneseo, Maggie Schuermann - Union), this is now a team that Piper needs to accept a dramatically increased role for. If her showing against of NY's top small school teams showed anything, it was that she's ready for that. Along with the typical doing some of everything and mixing it up on the glass, she was a primary scoring option and was able to get hers efficiently against Cambridge's length & quickness.

Piper Seamon (Cooperstown 2020) played well for the Hawkeyes, finishing with half of their points & earning all-tournament team honors.

Delaware Academy 55, SS Seward 38

After dropping the tournament's opener to Cooperstown the night before to fall to an unfamiliar 0-2, the host Bulldogs went back to the basics, establishing the blocks early to build a lead that they slowly extended throughout the game en route to a consolation game victory.

After a tight first few minutes, Delhi turned up the defensive effort to end the 1st quarter and converted on the other end, going on a 10-1 run to take a 16-6 lead by the end of the period. The Bulldogs' first 12 points came from their interior, with 2019 Anna Post scoring 8 and 2021 Sophia Wakin adding 4. In the process, they were able to put Seward in a precarious position - top scorer Alexa Roach, who had 5 of their 1st quarter points, also picked up her 3rd foul with a minute remaining in the stanza. Seward was able to stay in the game with her playing a very limited 2nd quarter role though, thanks to 2021 Josely Medina and 2023 Shannon Sgombick. Medina scored 6 in the quarter, and Sgombick went on a personal 5-0 run in the middle of the quarter after DA forged a 14 point lead, forcing Delhi to take a timeout. A Medina free throw cut their deficit back to 8 at 28-20 late in the quarter, but the hosts were able to score the last 6 points - 3 from Wakin free throws and a 25 footer in the final seconds from 2022 Sylvia Liddle - to regain a 14 point lead going into the locker room.

Anna Post (Delaware Academy 2019) dominated around the rim, leading all scorers with 22 points in the win.

A lower scoring saw 3rd quarter saw little movement either way, with Seward never being to cut the deficit from 14 but Delhi only extending to 17 on a pair of occasions. Seward never got closer than 13 in the 2nd half, when a Roach basket to start the 4th quarter cut their deficit to 43-30. Delhi reeled off 6 straight points in response, including another pair of baskets from Post, to open their lead back up. Another Post bucket gave them their largest lead in the middle of the quarter at 53-33, as they were able to coast to the finish line.

Anna Post, the lone returning starter and impact piece of last year's NYSPHSAA Class D champions, was dominant in the blocks and led all scorers with 22 points. Sophia Wakin, a budding sophomore who was also on the state championship team, added 9 points in the win. Alexa Roach led the way for Seward with 18 points. Josely Medina added 10, and promising 8th grader Shannon Sgombick pitched in with 8.

Alexa Roach (SS Seward 2019) battled through foul trouble and led them with 18 points in defeat.

#JeffsNotes

- Completely new look Delaware Academy team, now up in a wide open Section IV Class C. This is a group that I'll be interested in getting another viewing of as the season goes on. Although she wasn't a major scorer, the graduation of Logan Bruce is a major hit - having been a trustworthy table setting PG for four years and also one of upstate NY's most capable perimeter defenders at any class (I saw her put the clamps on several big name guards in HS), she was as important to the Bulldogs as any player was to any team in Section 4. That alone takes a while to get used to - add other important graduation hits like Kaitlynn Finch, Olivia Wakin, etc., and it's easy to see why there's an adjustment period. They'll be fine, though. Anna Post, who I thought was an emotional spark plug to last year's team, looks more than ready to be a leader this year. Sophia Wakin is on an upward curve and continues to look better. Sylvia Liddle, a 5'10" freshman that's more of a natural wing sliding over to be the starting PG for this team, has the highest ceiling of anyone that's come through the Bulldog system since I started. Plenty of work to be done with this group and you can look the other way with the losses to graduation if you want, but I won't be.

Sophia Wakin (Delaware Academy 2021) will play a major factor for the Bulldogs over the next three years.

- Personally, I'm at a point that I feel like I've seen the vast majority of good older players, so when I get to a game and check out a program, I'm instantly scanning the varsity rosters to see if there are any single digit numbers in the 'grade' column. It's not just about who's up now, but who's up next. SS Seward's Shannon Sgombick showed signs that she may be one of those 'up next' in Orange County & surrounding area. The 2023 guard looks that age in body as she hasn't fully physically developed yet, but her skill is beyond that and she appears confident & unafraid of varsity level play. When Roach was on the bench in the 2nd quarter and Seward was stuck on 8 points & needed production, Shannon got to the line, knocked down a jumper, then had a steal & layup to spark her squad. She showed she could shoot it, and the respect given as a shooter allowed her to put it on the deck & get to the rim. Definitely someone I'll be looking at for the spring's middle school combine and a player to keep track of going forward.

Shannon Sgombick (SS Seward 2023) is a promising youngster in Section 9.