BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — Championship mettle forged from past Section VI boys basketball playoff runs has brought the Salamanca Warriors back to Far West Regionals.
Salamanca answered every run from upstart Falconer in a 55-45 victory Tuesday night at Buffalo State Sports Arena to win its second Class B overall title in three seasons after snapping a 53-year championship drought.
Ranked No. 6 in the state in Class B, the Warriors (19-5) will play either Avon or Mynderse Academy from Section V back at Buff State on Saturday, seeking a return to the state semifinals after the school’s first trip to Glens Falls in 2022.
Falconer, having won Class B-2 for its first sectional title since 1982 four years after a winless season, didn’t go down without a fight.
Roger Markham made a foul line jumper to beat the buzzer at the end of the first quarter, then sank a 3-pointer that gave the Golden Falcons a brief lead at the start of the second.
Salamanca regained the lead quickly and went up by 11 points in the second quarter, but Falconer was able to get it to 33-32 in the third quarter. Salamanca star Lucas Brown keyed an 11-2 run to close the third. Falconer would get within a point in the fourth, as Salamanca didn’t score for five minutes, but Brown’s jumper 9-point spurt that provided the final cushion.
Lucas Brown led Salamanca with 20 points, Jacob Herrick scored 11, and leading rebounder Avery Brown also reached double figures with 10 points.
Falconer (15-9) was led by Markham (11 points), Mathis Baehr (9), Bradyn Fuller (8) and Nathan Bailey (8).
***
Jonah Bronstein joined the WIVB squad in 2022 as a digital sports reporter. The Buffalonian has covered the Bills, Sabres, Bandits, Bisons, colleges, high schools and other notable sporting events in Western New York since 2005, for publications including The Associated Press, The Buffalo News, and Niagara Gazette. Read more of his work here.