ELLICOTTVILLE — Led by a Division I recruit, the Ellicottville girls basketball team returns to its home court this week with high hopes.
The Eagles (2-0 with an Adam Elliott Memorial Tournament victory in Portville) open the Ellicottville Tip-Off Tournament at 6 p.m. Dec. 8 against Gowanda.
University at Buffalo-bound senior Marissa Hamilton leads the team but has an improving supporting cast including senior forward Emmalea Erlandson, a returning first-team league all-star, and junior guard Evelyn Cortez, who started as a freshman but moved out of the district last year.
“She should provide a huge spark to our offense with her speed and handle,” coach Chad Bartoszek said of Cortez. “We do have some new faces which were JV players from last year or who didn’t play last year that will help fill out the roster. We’re going to rely on our returners to have big years for us.
“(Erlandson)’s got the potential to average a double-double per game and has improved greatly on defense. Linnea Jimerson is a two-year starter and should be ready to make a big step forward. Jenna Aldrich, Madison Harris and Halie Mowery are also players who’ve shown potential to start and have important roles.”
Bartoszek is 36-23 in his first three years at Ellicottville, with Hamilton leading the way in scoring each year. Hamilton scored her 1,000th point and averaged 21 points last season.
She had 33 in a victory at Portville for the ACE championship Saturday.
“She had an excellent year last year and with her signing at UB I am hoping she feels some of the weight lift off of her shoulders,” Bartoszek said. “She now has a path in front of her beyond high school and that should allow her to focus on her senior year and getting us to a new level as a team. She is understanding her role now better as a leader and has taken steps to get better at that.”
Ellicottville (14-6 last winter) has made the Section 6 Class D semifinals the last two years, falling to Panama in 2015 and Franklinville in 2016. Both teams could be difficult roadblocks again this season. Franklinville and Ellicottville played four times last season: the Panthers won an opening tournament game and sectional game while splitting two close CCAA East II meetings.
“We’re always looking to improve as a team and we have been able to do that in terms of our wins and losses,” Bartoszek said of his expectations. “However, I do think that the girls are anxious to take the next step and play for a sectional title. We have run into very good teams in Franklinville and Panama the last two years and it is likely that they will be major players in our section again. This is going to be a challenging division and we need to set our goals to be the last one standing or at least with the opportunity to win.”
The Eagles played Falconer Tuesday in a game after press time and is set to host Holiday Valley/Ellicottville Sports Boosters Tip Off Tournament again starting Thursday against Gowanda, followed by a boys game against Allegany-Limestone.
Bartoszek said he’s interested in seeing how his experienced team comes together early on and jells on offense.
“I would love to see us being able to push the tempo and creating offense with our defense,” he said. “We’ve got the potential to put up some good numbers on the scoreboard but I think we need to push the pace a bit. We will see a lot of defenses geared towards stopping Marissa and are other girls will need to step up and make plays when it’s their time.”
2016-17 ELLICOTTVILLE GIRLS BASKETBALL
(All games 7:30 p.m. unless otherwise indicated)
December
2 — Archbishop Walsh (Portville Tournament), W 66-21
3 — Portville (Portville Tournament), W 62-48
6 — Falconer
8 — Falconer (Ellicottville Tournament), 6 p.m.
10 — Frewsburg (Ellicottville Tournament), noon
13 — Hinsdale
19 — Randolph
22 — Port Allegany (Pa.)
January
3 — at Salamanca
5 — Pine Valley
9 — at North Collins
12 — Franklinville
17 — at Cattaraugus-LV
19 — Forestville
26 — at Randolph
31 — at Pine Valley
February
3 — North Collins, 6 p.m.
7 — at Franklinville
10 — Cattaraugus-LV
14 — at Forestville
