Climbing back to cut down another net, Bishop Timon-St. Jude affirmed its status atop Western New York’s boys basketball ranks. Timon repeated as Manhattan Cup champions, a feat of the school had not accomplished in close to four decades, by rallying to beat Monsignor Martin league nemesis Canisius, 74-64, in front of a capacity crowd Wednesday night at Koessler Athletic Center.
“We made history,” said senior guard Jacob Humphrey, who led the Tigers with 22 points,
including a momentous 40-footer before the buzzer to end a third quarter in which he changed the course of the game with his tenacious defense. “It’s really hard to go back-to-back against the same team. I feel like it’s an amazing accomplishment to be part of that, and I’m so proud of this team.”
“It’s a winning legacy,” said classmate Jaiden Harrison, who added 18 points to his WNY record total. “And it’s all about love and brotherhood. It’s more than basketball, it’s more than points, it’s more than breaking a record. It’s about legacy and family. That’s what we built here.”
With its 11th consecutive victory, Timon (24-2) moves on to the New York State Catholic High School Athletic Association semifinal Friday at Fordham University. Last year, the Tigers were state finalists.
“It feels good but that feeling last year when we went to the state championship and came up short, I don’t want to have that feeling again,” Harrison said. “We are going to everything we can to stay locked in and do whatever is possible.”
Winning for the second time in two weeks against Canisius, the only other team to be ranked No. 1 in WNY this season, following a home loss last month, sharpened Timon for the state playoffs, Harrison said.
“Canisius is a very good team, very well-coached, and they play hard,” Harrison said. “We feel like if we can beat them, we can go at it with anybody.”
Timon coach Jason Rowe enjoyed the atmosphere in the packed gym at Canisius University, which included University at Buffalo coach George Halcovage sitting on press row with his Golden Griffins counterpart Reggie Witherspoon, the former UB coach, and talking throughout the game.
“It was perfect,” Rowe said. “The players showed up, and the community did too. I’m appreciative of all the people that came out to support — on a Wednesday night, when there was a Drake concert downtown.”
Rowe was the starting point guard for a Traditional team that won a state championship in 1996. But he remembers losing in the state final the year before.
“That was what I told the guys after we lost last year,” Rowe said. “I know it hurts. I know it’s painful. But take that finalist plaque and put it somewhere you are going to see it every day. Let it motivate you. Because we are going back.”
Story by Jonah Bronstein WIVB News - Photos Tom Burns Photography