Hamilton, Delaware Academy win Dick White titles

Lambert, Nelen named to All-Star teams, Erway wins Sportsmanship Award

(Rory Nelen drives for a layup Thursday against Unatego. Photo by Lucy Hayes.)

To the visitors went the spoils of the 40th annual Dick White Holiday Basketball Tournament on Thursday, Dec. 28.

Undefeated Hamilton won the girls title with a 63-36 drubbing of Whitesboro, and Delaware Academy won the boys title with a 63-42 win over host Cooperstown at Red Bursey Gymnasium.

(From left are the boys award winners: Ivan Richardson, MVP, Delaware Academy; Conrad Erway, Sportsmanship Award winner, Cooperstown; Angelo Krzyston, Delaware Academy, Charlie Lambert, Cooperstown; and Justin Wolfe, Richfield Springs/ODY. Not pictured is Matthew Knight of Beaver River. Photo by Lucy Hayes.)

BOYS BASKETBALL
Delaware Academy 63, Cooperstown 42

A huge second-quarter run helped the Bulldogs top the host Hawkeyes for the boys championship Thursday.

Ivan Richardson, who scored 10 points in the title game, was named the tournament MVP. He had 18 points Wednesday in the first-round win over Beaver River.

Senior Charlie Lambert led Cooperstown with 14 points. Junior Cooper Bradley had 12 rebounds. Sophomore Jackson Crisman and freshman Brody Murdock each scored eight points.

The Bulldogs took a 14-13 lead after one quarter, but a 20-10 second-quarter run changed the outlook on the game. Cooperstown had a burst of offense to start the fourth quarter, but the Bulldogs recovered and closed out the game strong.

Lambert was named to the All-Tournament Team, along with Justin Wolfe of Richfield Springs/Owen D. Young, Matthew Knight of Beaver River and Angelo Krzyston of Delaware Academy.

Krzyston and Chuck Haight each scored 12 points Thursday to lead Delaware Academy (6-2).

Cooperstown senior Conrad Erway won the Sportsmanship Award.

Richfield/ODY won the consolation game over Beaver River, 55-53.

Delaware Academy also won the junior varsity tournament, beating Cooperstown in the finals, 39-35.

Cooperstown (6-4, 3-1) hosts Morrisville-Eaton in a Center State Conference Division IV game Thursday, Jan. 4.

(From left are the girls award winners: Logan Langel, MVP, Hamilton; Lindsey Speer, Hamilton; Rory Nelen, Cooperstown; A’Nya Jackson, Whitesboro; and MacKenzie Seely, Sportsmanship Award, Whitesboro. Not pictured is Lizzy Craft, Unatego. Photo by Lucy Hayes.)

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Cooperstown 44, Unatego 35

Cooperstown senior Rory Nelen had her second double double in two days as the host Hawkeyes won the consolation game of the girls tournament by downing Unatego.

Nelen scored 14 points and had 13 rebounds. She also had three blocks, two steals and two assists.

The Spartans led after one quarter, 15-10, but Cooperstown outscored Unatego in the second quarter, 19-12, and the third quarter, 12-5, to take control of the game.

Junior Mia Kaltenbach scored 10 points and had six rebounds. Junior Brenna Seamon had eight points, six rebounds and two steals. Senior Olivia Murdock scored six points. Senior Tori France scored five points and had four rebounds, two steals and two assists.

Lizzy Craft scored 20 points to lead Unatego (6-2), which suffered its first two losses of the season in the tournament.

Craft and Nelen were named to the All-Tournament Team, along with Lindsey Speer of Hamilton and A’Nya Jackson of Whitesboro. Logan Langel of Hamilton won the MVP Award. Whiteboro’s MacKenzie Seely won the Sportsmanship Award.

Hamilton also won the junior varsity tournament girls title, beating Whitesboro, 35-17. Cooperstown lost in the consolation game to Unatego, 39-25.

Cooperstown (6-4, 2-2) will play at West Canada Valley, the undefeated Division III leader, in a Center State Conference game Wednesday, Jan. 3.

Help needed for Tournament Week!

Cooperstown/Milford wrestling will host the annual Cooperstown Invitational Wrestling Tournament on Saturday, Dec. 30. We still need a lot of help staffing the concession stand!

Tournament Week help needed!

Coverage of Cooperstown’s 2023-24 is brought to you in part by an anonymous local business. To sponsor a team, season or the school year, contact Greg at JYDBook@gmail.com.