The 2024 CC MVP
Jaiden Harrison
Timon, Senior
20.3 PPG / 7.6 RPG / 6.3 APG / 2.1 SPG / 1.0 BPG
– Four-time All-Centercourt Top 20 selection
– Manhattan Cup Champion
– MVP of the Manhattan Cup
– POY in the Monsignor Martin Association
– Game MVP at the Centercourt Classic
- All-Time Scoring Leader in WNY History
– Led WNY in assists
– Led Timon in PPG, RPG, APG, & BPG
– Season-High 34 pts in a win over Jamestown
– 5 games scoring 30+ pts
– 14 games scoring 20+ pts
– 15 games with 8+ rebounds
– 14 games with 6+ assists
– 4 games with 4+ steals
– Recorded 3 Triple-Doubles
– Recorded 12 Double-Doubles
– Centercourt #BOOM Squad
– Centercourt Sniper Squad
– Centercourt Dime Dropper
– 2,476 Career Points
First Team All-Centercourt
Nichols, Senior
29.7 PPG / 6.7 RPG / 3.1 APG / 2.4 SPG
– Three-time All-Centercourt Top 60 selection
– First Team All-Catholic
– Game MVP at the Centercourt Classic
– Scoring leader in WNY
– Season-high 45 pts in a win over St. Francis
– 4 games scoring 40+ pts
– 13 games scoring 30+ pts
– 20 games scoring 20+ pts
– 10 games over 30 pts
– Grabbed 15 rebounds in a win at St. Joe's
– 6 games with 8+ rebounds
Earned 10 steals in a win vs City Honors
Led WNY with 99 treys
– Buried 8 triples in a win vs St. Francis
– 6 games with 6+ treys
– 4 games with 6+ assists
– Shot 84% on FTs
– Centercourt Sniper Squad
– Nichols' all-time scoring & 3-pt leader
– Career 2,000 point scorer
Jacob Humphrey
Timon, Senior
18.7 PPG / 4.3 APG / 4.1 RPG / 2.8 SPG
– Two-time All-Centercourt Top 60 selection
– Manhattan Cup Champion
– First Team All-Catholic
– Game MVP at the Centercourt Classic
– MVP of Coaches vs Cancer Tournament
– Shot 59% on FGs & 47% on 3-pointers
– Career-high 37 pts in win at Canisius
Scored 33 pts in state championship game
– Scored 31 of 36 pts vs McKinley by halftime
– 4 games scoring 30+ pts
– 10 games with 20+ pts
– Led MMA in steals
– Earned 12 steals in a win vs Maritime
– 8 games with 4+ steals
– 7 games with 6+ assists
– 5 games with 5+ treys
– 7 double-doubles
– All-Centercourt Defender
– Centercourt #BOOM Squad
– Centercourt Dime Dropper
– Career 1,000 point scorer
Lucus Brown
Salamanca, Senior
25.1 PPG / 5.6 RPG / 3.9 SPG / 3.0 APG
– Four-time All-Centercourt Top 60 selection
– Section VI Class B Champion
– MVP of the Section VI Class B1 Tournament
– CCAA I West Champion
– POY CCAA I West
– Game MVP at Centercourt Classic
– 2 Game MVPs at IAABO Showcase
– NYSPHAA Class B All-Tournament
– Career-high 38 pts in win at Clymer
– Scored 29 pts in win vs Will South
– Had 25, 7 R, & 7 A in win vs Olean
– 6 games scoring 30+ pts
– 21 games scoring 20+ pts
– 4 games with 8+ rebounds
– 8 steals in win vs Sweet Home
– 14 games with 4+ steals
– Salamanca all-time scoring, 3-pt & stls leader
– Centercourt Sniper Squad
– All-Centercourt Defender
– 1,948 career points scored
Amir Moye
Health Sciences, Sophomore
19.7 PPG / 6.9 APG / 5.2 RPG / 3.5 SPG
– Two-time All-Centercourt Top 60 selection
Section VI Class AA2 Champion
Yale Cup I Champion
MVP of Section VI Class AA2 Tournament
POY in Yale Cup I
– Live Like Luca All-Tournament
– Career-high 29 pts in a win vs Nichols
– Had 27 & 10 reb in Class AA2 Final win
– 13 games scoring 20+ pts
– 2nd highest APG in WNY
– 19 games with 6+ assists
– Earned game-winning asst & steal in AA2 Final
– 11 games with 4+ steals
– Recorded 6 double-doubles
– All-Centercourt Defender
– Centercourt #BOOM Squad
– Centercourt Dime Dropper
Timon, Junior
19.7 PPG / 6.2 RPG / 2.6 APG / 2.5 SPG
– Three-time All-Centercourt Top 60 selection
– Manhattan Cup Champion
– First Team All-Catholic
– Coaches vs Cancer All-Tournament
- Shot 57% FG
- Shot 53% on 3-pointers
– Season-high 34 pts in win vs Niagara Falls
– 7 games scoring 25+ pts
– 15 games scoring 20+ pts
– 9 games with 8+ rebounds
– Earned 7 steals in win vs Lackawanna
- 7 games with 4+ steals
- Recorded 3 double-doubles
– Centercourt Sniper Squad
– Centercourt #BOOM Squad
– Career 1,000 point scorer
Second Team All-Centercourt
Jaydian Johnson
Jamestown, Junior
19.1 PPG / 5.2 RPG / 4.4 APG / 1.8 SPG
– Two-time All-Centercourt Top 60 selection
– Section VI Class AA Champion
– ECIC I Champion
– POY All-ECIC
– POY in ECIC II
– MVP of Class AA1 Tournament
– MVP of the Olean Tip-Off Tournament
– Game MVP at Centercourt Classic
– Career-high 27 pts in win vs Lockport
– 11 games scoring 20+ pts
– Dished 10 assists in win at Frontier
– 6 games with 6+ assists
– 5 games with 4+ steals
– Centercourt Dime Dropper
Lancaster, Senior
27.9 PPG / 8.6 RPG / 2.4 aPG / 2.4 SPG
– Three-time All-Centercourt Top 60 selection
– First Team All-ECIC
– First Team ECIC I
Section VI All-Tournament Team
– Career-high 47 pts vs Orchard Park
– 42 pts, 10 R, 3 A, 3 S in win vs Ken West
– 34 pts & 15 boards vs Orchard Park
– 3 games scoring 40+ pts
– 11 games scoring 30+ pts
– 15 games scoring 20+ pts
– 12 games with 8+ rebounds
– 5 games with 4+ steals
– 7 double-doubles
– Centercourt #BOOM Squad
– Career 1,000 point scorer
Westfield, Junior
28.7 PPG / 6.9 APG / 5.7 RPG / 5.5 SPG
Two-Time All-Centercourt Top 60 Selection
CCAA II West Champion
POY CCAA II West
MVP of Westfield Winter Classic
Section VI Class C All-Tournament
– MVP of Southwestern Holiday Tournament
Olean Tip-Off All-Tournament
– Led Section VI in Scoring
– Career-high 46 pts in win at Maple Grove
– 28 pts, 12 A, 8 R, & 8 S in win at Brocton
– 10 games scoring 30+ pts
– 20 games scoring 20+ pts
– Led WNY in assists & steals
– 19 games with 4+ steals
– 16 games with 6+ assists
– 4 games with 8+ rebounds
– Recorded 1 triple & 4 double-doubles
– Centercourt Dime Dropper
– Centercourt Sniper Squad
– Centercourt #BOOM Squad
– Career 1,000 point scorer
Drew Hind
Randolph, Junior
21.3 PPG / 3.9 RPG / 3.9 APG / 2.6 SPG
– Three-time All-Centercourt Top 60 selection
– Section VI Class C Champion
– CCAA I East Champion
– POY in CCAA I East
MVP of Section VI Class C Tournament
Game MVP of Centercourt Classic
– MVP Tully Tournament
– Career-high 36 pts sectional win vs Barker
– 25 pts, 9 S, & 8 A in win at Chautauqua Lake
– 3 games scoring 30+ pts
– 13 games scoring 20+ pts
– Double figure scoring in all 24 games
– Centercourt Sniper Squad
– Career 1,000 point scorer
Nicholas Purdie
Canisius, Junior
15.7 PPG / 6.0 RPG / 2.4 APG / 1.6 SPG
– Monsignor Martin Association Champion
– First Team All-Catholic
– Game MVP at Centercourt Classic
– MVP of Tom Keenan Tournament
– Led Canisius is pts, steals, & rebounds
– Career-high 27 pts & 6 stls in win vs O'Hara
– 25 pts & 8 R in playoff win vs Nichols
– 7 games scoring 20+ pts
– Shot 44% on 3-pointers
– 7 games with 8+ rebounds
– Recorded 5 double-doubles
– All-Centercourt Defender
Third Team All-Centercourt
St. Joe's, Junior
17.0 PPG / 6.0 RPG / 3.3 APG / 2.2 SPG
– First Team All-Catholic
– Season-high 29 pts in win at McQuaid
– 6 games scoring 20+ pts
– 25 games scoring in double figures
– Earned 8 steals in a win vs Holy Trinity
– 4 games with 4+ steals
– 7 games with 8+ rebounds
– 3 games with 6+ assists
– 7/9 from 3-point in win at McQuaid
– 6 games with 4+ 3-pointers
– Centercourt Sniper Squad
– Centercourt #BOOM Squad
Nick Estell
Niagara Falls, Senior
13.1 PPG / 3.6 RPG / 3.3 APG / 1.4 SPG
– Section VI Class AAA Champion
– MVP of Section VI Class AAA Tournament
– Game MVP at Cataract Classic
– NYSPHAA Class AAA All-Tournament
– Led Falls in points & assists
– Career-high 33 pts in win at Nichols
– Shot 75% on 3-pointers win vs Health
– Shot 51% on FGs
– Shot 77% on FTs
– Shot 43% on 3-pointers
Luke Walck
Chairman of the Boards
Niagara Wheatfield, Senior
17.4 PPG / 14.4 RPG / 2.7 APG / 2.1 SPG
– First Team All-NFL
– Led NYS with 317 rebounds
– Career-high 31 pts in win at NT
– 25 pts, 17 R & 10 B in win vs North
– 19 pts, 18 R, & 9 B in win vs CSAT
– 23 pts & 20 boards in win vs Lew-Port
– 9 games scoring 20+ pts
- 20 games scoring in double figures
– 11 games with 16+ rebounds
– 16 games with 14 + rebounds
– All 22 games with 9+ rebounds
– 5 games with 5+ blocks
– Recorded 19 double-doubles
Chris McDonald
Orchard Park, Senior
16.0 PPG / 7.9 RPG / 2.8 APG / 2.2 SPG
First Team All-ECIC
First Team ECIC I
– MVP of Depew Holiday Tournament
– Section VI Class AA1 All-Tournament
– Season-high 24 pts in win vs Hutch Tech
– 18 pts & 13 R in win vs Jamestown
– 5 games scoring 20+ pts
– All 21 games double figure scoring
– Grabbed 17 boards in win vs Lew-Port
– 15 games with 7+ rebounds
– 5 games with 4+ steals
– 2 games with 6+ assists
– Recorded 5 double-doubles
Nate Errington
Frontier, Senior
14.9 PPG / 14.1 RPG / 1.4 APG / 1.3 BPG / 1.2 SPG
– Two-time All-Centercourt Top 60 selection
– First Team ECIC I
– MVP of Hamburg Lions Club Tournament
– Live Like Luca All-Tournament
– Season-high 25 pts & 16 boards win vs CSAT
– Season-high 21 rebounds win vs Health Sciences
– 3 games with 20+ rebounds
– 17 games with 10+ rebounds
– 19 games with 9+ rebounds
– Frontier all-time rebounds leader
– Recorded 14 double-doubles
– All-Centercourt Defender
Fourth Team All-Centercourt
Frontier, Senior
16.0 PPG / 10.0 RPG / 1.5 APG / 1.2 BPG / 1.0 SPG
First Team ECIC I
– MVP of the Live Luca Luca Tournament
– Hamburg Lions All-Tournament
– Season-high 24 pts & 15 boards vs Jamestown
– 7 games scoring 20+
– 16 games scoring in double figures
- 2 games with 19 rebounds
– 12 games with 8+ rebounds
– Recorded 9 double-doubles
Taesyn Slating
Eden, Senior
19.2 PPG / 10.8 RPG / 3.3 BPG / 2.1 APG / 2.0 SPG
– POY in ECIC V
– Section VI Class B2 All-Tournament
– Career-high 37 pts in win vs JFK
– 25 pts & 18 boards in win at JFK
– 2 games scoring 30+ pts
– 9 games scoring 20+ pts
– 20 games scoring in double figures
– 20 games with 8+ rebounds
– 2nd in WNY in blocks
– 14 games with 3+ blocks
– 14 double-doubles
– Centercourt #BOOM Squad
– Career 1,000 point scorer
Lockport, Sophomore
17.0 PPG / 6.5 RPG / 2.9 APG / 1.6 SPG
– NFL Champion
– POY in NFL
– Section VI Class AA1 All-Tournament
– Lockport Rotary All-Tournament
– Career-high 36 pts vs St. Mary's
– 6 games with 20+ pts
– 21 games scoring in double figures
– 9 games with 8+ rebounds
– 4 games with 6+ assists
– 9 games with 6+ assists
– 3 games with 4+ steals
– 3 double-doubles
David Washington
Hutch Tech, Senior
21.7 PPG / 5.0 RPG / 3.5 SPG / 1.5 APG
– POY in Yale Cup I
– MVP of the Frewsburg Tournament
– Career-high 44 pts win vs Chautauqua Lake
– Scored 32 pts & 5 steals in win vs East
– 22 pts, 9 S, & 7 R in sectional at Orchard Park
– 22 pts, 8 R, 6 S in a win at Middle College
– 2 games scoring 30+ pts
– 17 games scoring 20+ pts
– 20 games scoring in double figure
– 9 games with 4+ steals
– Centercourt #BOOM Squad
– Career 1,000 point scorer
Pat Benzer
Canisius, Senior
11.4 PPG / 5.7 RPG / 1.2 APG / .7 SPG
– Monsignor Martin Champion
– Second Team All-Catholic
– Tom Keenan Memorial All-Tournament
– 21 pts on 82% FG in win vs St. Francis
– 18 pts & 7 boards in win at Timon
– 16 games scoring in double figures
– Led Canisius in Blocks & 3-pointers
– 8 offensive rebounds in win vs Nichols
– 7 games with 8+ rebounds
– All-Centercourt Defender
– Centercourt #BOOM Squad
Fifth Team All-Centercourt
Daryl Montgomery
Cheektowaga, Senior
19.0 PPG /7.0 RPG / 1.2 SPG / 1.1 APG
– ECIC III Champion
– POY in ECIC III
– Game MVP at ECIC vs CCAA Showcase
- Ken-Ton All-Tournament
– Season-high 28 pts in win at Lake Shore
– 27 pts in win vs Salamanca
– 26 pts & 13 boards in win at Maryvale
– 11 games scoring 20+ points
– 20 games scoring in double figures
– 15 rebounds in win at West Seneca West
– 8 games with 8+ rebounds
– Recorded 4 double-doubles
– 7 games with 4+ 3-pointers
– Centercourt Sniper Squad
– All-Centercourt Defender
Ephraim Strong
Niagara Falls, Senior
10.6 PPG / 4.8 RPG / 2.6 SPG / 1.7 APG
– Section VI Class AAA Champion
– Section VI Class AAA All-Tournament
– Game MVP at Centercourt Classic
– Career-high 29 pts in win at Will South
– Led Niagara Falls in steals
– 9 boards & 7 steals in win at Will South
– 5 games with 4+ steals
– 8 games scoring in double figures
– All-Centercourt Defender
Williamsville South, Junior
15.3 PPG / 4.9 RPG / 2.0 SPG / 2.0 APG
– Section VI Class A Champion
– Section VI Class A1 Champion
- ECIC III Champion
– First Team ECIC III
– Section VI Class A1 All-Tournament
– Game MVP at Bob Hettler Showcase
– Career-high 31 pts in win vs Lake Shore
– 8 games scoring 20+ pts
– 3 games with 8+ rebounds
– Earned 6 steals vs St. Francis
– Shot 50% on 5 made 3's vs Wayne
Ahmir Dunn
Amherst, Senior
13.2 PPG / 5.1 RPG / 4.2 APG / 2.8 SPG
– ECIC II Champion
– First Team ECIC II
– Game MVP at CentercourtCalssic
– Section VI Class A1 All-Tournament
– Coaches vs Cancer All-Tournament
– Career-high 29 pts in win vs Will East
– 17 games scoring in double figures
– 8 games with 4+ steals
– 7 games with 6+ assists
– 5 games with 8+ rebounds
– All-Centercourt Defender
Nate Blenman
Amherst, Sophomore
14.1 PPG / 10.0 RPG / 1.4 SPG / 1.2 BPG
– ECIC II Champion
– First Team ECIC II
– Game MVP at Bob Hettler Showcase
– Coaches vs Cancer All-Tournament
– Career-high 26 pts & 10 R in win vs St. Mary's
- 16 pts, 15 R, & 4 B in win vs Lake Shore
– 21 games soring in double figures
– 6 games with 12+ rebounds
– 19 games with 8+ rebounds
– 4 games with 3+ blocks
– Recorded 16 double-doubles
Honorable Mention
Gavin Smith – Frewsburg, Senior
* First Team CCAA I East
25.7 PPG / 6.8 RPG / 3.0 SPG / 2.3 APG
Shamere Davis – MST Seneca, Senior
* Player of the Year in Yale Cup II
22.4 PPG / 5.8 RPG / 2.0 SPG / 1.4 APG
Davion White – Fredonia, Senior
* First Team CCAA I West
18.0 PPG / 7.9 RPG / 2.8 APG / 1.6 SPG
Sajon Beasley – McKinley, Senior
* First Team Yale Cup I
17.8 PPG / 3.4 APG / 2.0 SPG / 1.6 RPG
Ezekiel Alexander – Olmsted, Senior
* Player of the Year in Yale Cup II
16.8 PPG / 5.4 APG / 5.3 RPG / 1.6 SPG
Cameron D'Hilly – Cleveland Hill, Senior
* First Team ECIC V
16.1 PPG / 7.6 RPG / 1.2 BPG / 1.0 SPG
Jeremiah Neely, St. Francis, Senior
* Second Team All-Catholic
15.7 PPG / 8.5 RPG / 1.6 SPG / 1.2 APG
Mike Hahn – Fredonia, Senior
* First Team CCAA I West
15.3 PPG / 6.5 RPG / 1.7 SPG / 1.7 APG
Sean Gilmartin – Clarence, Senior
* First Team ECIC I
14.5 PPG / 4.5 APG / 2.2 RPG / 1.9 SPG
Michael Whitt – Health Sciences, Senior
* First Team Yale Cup I
13.7 PPG / 5.0 RPG / 1.2 APG / 1.0 SPG
Patrick Bodecker – East Aurora, Senior
* First Team ECIC V
13.7 PPG / 7.3 RPG / 1.1 SPG / 49% FG
Shawn Watson – Niagara Wheatfield, Senior
* First Team NFL
13.6 / 6.8 RPG / 3.1 APG / 1.7 SPG
Mason Evans, Williamsville East, Senior
* First Team ECIC II
13.5 PPG / 3.5 RPG / 3.3 APG / 2.7 SPG
Kyan Gray – Lackawanna, Senior
* Player of the Year in ECIC IV
12.8 PPG / 5.2 RPG / 1.7 SPG / 1.6 APG
Ben Dickinson – Newfane, Senior
* First Team N-O
12.3 PPG / 10.0 RPG / 2.6 SPG / 2.4 APG
Landon Braman – Newfane, Senior
* Player of the Year in the N-O
11.9 PPG / 4.6 APG / 4.3 RPG / 2.1 SPG
Bishop Butts – Jamestown, Senior
* All-Centercourt Defender
9.9 PPG / 6.0 RPG / 2.4 BPG / 1.7 SPG
Carter Brink – Panama, Junior
* Player of the Year in CCAA II East
25.7 PPG / 4.7 APG / 3.9 RPG / 2.5 SPG
Jayce Wylke – Grand Island, Junior
* First Team NFL
19.8 PPG / 3.8 RPG / 3.0 APG / 2.3 SPG
Sam Platt – Pioneer, Junior
* First Team ECIC III
18.5 PPG / 5.2 RPG / 2.5 APG / 1.9 SPG
Carson Kwiatkowski – Allegany-Limestone, Junior
* First Team CCAA I West
17.3 PPG / 3.1 RPG / Made 71 3-pointers
Stash Foster – Williamsville North, Junior
* First Team ECIC I
16.3 PPG / 4.0 APG / 3.1 RPG / 2.8 SPG
Caedyn Tingley – Olean, Junior
* First Team CCAA I West
12.7 PPG / 2.1 APG / 1.2 SPG / 46 treys
Aaron Weiss – Williamsville East, Junior
* First Team ECIC II
11.9 PPG / 10.7 RPG / 2.1 BPG / 1.5 APG
Hezekiah Hall – Nichols, Junior
* Second Team All-Catholic
11.0 PPG / 8.1 RPG / 1.4 BPG / 1.2 SPG
Jack Kempf – Starpoint, Junior
* Averaged double-double & led WNY in Blocked Shots
10.0 PPG / 13.3 RPG / 3.9 BPG / 1.8 APG
Gionni Zelasko – St. Joe's, Junior
* First Team All-Catholic
9.0 PPG / 4.5 APG / 3.3 RPG / 1.7 SPG
Johnny Esposito – Canisius, Junior
* Averaged 13.8 PPG during postseason
7.9 PPG / 2.4 RPG / 1.4 APG / 1.3 SPG
Justus Kelitz – Iroquois, Sophomore
* Player of the Year in ECIC IV
26.0 PPG / 3.9 APG / 2.9 RPG / 2.9 SPG
Roger Markham – Falconer, Sophomore
* First Team CCAA I East
18.0 PPG / 4.6 APG / 4.5 RPG / 3.3 SPG
Will Szablewski – St. Mary's, Sophomore
* All-Catholic Honorable Mention
13.4 PPG / 6.8 RPG / 2.3 APG / 1.9 SPG
Dominic Gonzalez – Jamestown, Sophomore
* NYSPHAA & Section VI Class AA All-Tournament
13.1 PPG / 2.7 APG / 2.3 RPG / 1.5 SPG
Harlem Brannon – Ken West, Sophomore
* First Team NFL
11.8 PPG / 5.2 RPG / 2.8 SPG / 2.6 APG
Nate Wilemski – Williamsville South, Sophomore
* First Team ECIC III
11.5 PPG / 4.8 RPG / 2.8 APG / 1.8 SPG
John Strong – Niagara Falls, Sophomore
* All-Centercourt Defender
9.5 PPG / 7.5 RPG / 3.0 APG / 2.0 SPG
Centercourt 6th Man of the Year
Timon, Junior
6.7 PPG / 1.9 RPG / 1.6 APG / 1.2 SPG
It was no secret who the best team in Buffalo was this season. The Timon Tigers posted a starting lineup that featured one of the most outstanding guard trios ever to play together in WNY. But there was also a dog waiting in the wings every game, who checked in as the Tigers sixth man and wreaked havoc at both ends. Damien Johnson plays like such a dog, I swear he growls at Coach Rowe when it’s time for the sixth man to make his first appearance.
After the obvious big three in South Buffalo, it was Johnson who was the next statistical leader in points, assists, and steals. In a win over St. Mary’s, he dished 10 dimes. During the ultimate dogfight, the Manhattan Cup Final, Johnson earned 4 steals to help lead his team to a second consecutive Manhattan Cup Championship. On the season, Johnson knocked down 24 bombs from long range and finished in double figure scoring six times.
One of my favorite moments of the season was seeing him at a Cheektowaga game on the same afternoon that his team played that night. I told Johnson and his friends that I was heading to Timon next and jokingly asked Johnson if he was going….“I PLAY”, Johnson barked back at me. I knew who he was then, and also knew the WNY basketball community would know his name by season's end.
All-Centercourt Defenders
First Team
Jacob Humphrey – Timon, Senior
Jahyden Clark – Canisius, Junior
Ephraim Strong – Niagara Falls, Senior
Bishop Butts – Jamestown, Senior
Griffin Nelson – Randolph, Junior
Second Team
John Strong – Niagara Falls, Sophomore
Amir Moye – Health Sciences, Sophomore
Ahmir Dunn – Amherst, Senior
Stash Foster – Williamsville North, Junior
Nate Errington – Frontier, Senior
Third Team
Lucus Brown – Salamanca, Senior
Daryl Montgomery – Cheektowaga, Senior
John Opfer – Williamsville South, Senior
Michael Munzert – Williamsville South, Senior
Jack Kempf – Starpoint, Junior
Fourth Team
Zayvion Hawkins – Amherst, Sophomore
Nicholas Purdie – Canisius, Junior
Pat Benzer – Canisius, Senior
Luke Walck – Niagara Wheatfield, Senior
Ben Dickinson – Newfane, Senior
Centercourt #BOOM Squad
David Washington – Hutch Tech, Senior
Aaron Weiss – Williamsville East, Junior
Pat Benzer – Canisius, Senior
Bishop Butts – Jamestown, Senior
Hezekiah Hall – Nichols, Junior
Cameron D'Hilly – Cleveland Hill, Senior
Ian Cooper – Lockport, Senior
Jordan Alexander – Lancaster, Senior
Channing Francis – Lancaster, Senior
Ben Dickinson – Newfane, Senior
Jaymeir Goosby – St. Joe's, Junior
Jacob Humphrey – Timon, Senior
Jaiden Harrison – Timon, Senior
Nakyhi Harris – Timon, Junior
Amir Moye – Health Sciences, Sophomore
Carson Swanson – Westfield, Junior
Jack Kempf – Starpoint, Junior
Staz Chiddick – Health Sciences, Junior
Nate Blenman – Amherst, Sophomore
Will Szablewski – St. Mary's, Sophomore
Taesyn Slating – Eden, Senior
Benjamin Gerstung – Akron, Sophomore
Centercourt Sniper Squad '3'
Jakye Rainey – Nichols, Senior
Jaiden Harrison – Timon, Senior
Mike Hahn – Fredonia, Senior
Kevin McElwain – Randolph, Sophomore
Carson Kwiatkowski – Allegany-Limestone, Junior
Lucus Brown – Salamanca, Senior
Brett Erbacher – Clarence, Senior
Nakyhi Harris – Timon, Junior
Jaymeir Goosby – St. Joe's, Junior
Aidan Neumann – Wilson, Sophomore
Gavin Johnson – Cardinal O'Hara, Junior
Ash Hunter – Hamburg, Junior
Israel Wilson – St. Mary's, Sophomore
Greydan Barnwell – Lew-Port, Junior
Mayen Majong – Bennett, Senior
Carson Swanson – Westfield, Junior
Gavin Smith – Frewsburg, Senior
Justus Kleitz – Iroquois, Sophomore
Blake Martin – Wilson, Senior
Daryl Montgomery – Cheektowaga, Senior
Centercourt Dime Droppers
Jaiden Harrison – Timon, Senior
Carson Swanson – Westfield, Junior
Amir Moye – Health Sciences, Sophomore
Kobe Genco – Eden, 8th Grader
Cohen Vogel – Starpoint, Junior
Tre Paulfrey – Nichols, Sophomore
Jaydian Johnson – Jamestown, Junior
Ezekiel Alexander – Olmsted, Senior
Jacob Humphrey – Timon, Senior
Gionni Zelasko – St. Joe's, Junior
Carter Brink – Panama, Junior
Roger Markham – Falconer, Sophomore
Sean Gilmartin – Clarence, Senior
Ahmir Dunn – Amherst, Senior
Remington Albee – Roy-Hart, Senior
Centercourt Coach of the Year
Adam Bennett – Salamanca
Over a decade ago, I knew Adam Bennett as the fresh-faced assistant coach at Olean, who always went out of his way to say hello when I made the trip down there. After the Huskies won the state championship in 2016, Bennett took over as head coach at Salamanca High School and seemed very eager with the opportunity. He had spent years soaking in knowledge from brilliant basketball minds around him, namely Hall of Famer & legend Jeff Anastasia, St. Bonaventure head coach Mark Schmidt, and former Olean AD & girls coach, Don Scholla. In his first season as the head coach at Salamanca, the team won 15 games and finished second in league play. However, the following season was a losing campaign for the team, finishing with just nine wins.
Fast-forward a couple seasons, both winning ones for the program, Bennett made the decision to move his team into the toughest league in the Southern Tier… the same one ruled by Olean and the master of head coaches, Anastasia. I had gotten to know him better by then, and remember him telling me about that decision & what a good one it was for his program in order to get better. He believed in the immense potential of an 8th grader who started on his varsity squad named Lucus Brown. I didn’t tell him at the time, but I thought his expectations were a bit too lofty. It’s a whole new world up there, I thought, and reality is going to hit and hit hard. That first season in CCAA I West was Brown's freshman season and a difficult campaign for every team in WNY, as it was the Covid-shortened year that excluded spectators and required masks. The team went just 7–8 that year and finished fifth in league play.
Enter 2022, the season Salamanca Basketball became a household name in the area. Bennett was now in his sixth year as head coach, and his young standout was ready to breakout. That move into the tough league and the lumps they took in their inaugural season there, proved to pay huge dividends when the Warriors won not only a sectional title, but entertained the Sports Arena at Buff State with a thrilling regional victory to earn the first trip to Glens Falls in school history.
Bennett and Salamanca entered 2023 more motivated than ever with the success in 2022 and eyed a return trip to the promised land, despite being moved up an entire classification, no longer a Class C team. They won 20 games and went undefeated in league play to earn the title. The team returned to the Section VI Finals, this time in Class B2. Salamanca was upset in the championship game and left with the bitter taste of defeat in their mouth, losing to a tough Fredonia team they had taken care of twice earlier that year.
Once again competing in Class B2 for the 2024 Season, but now with just one remaining starter that played on the state run two seasons prior, the end goal remained the same coming in – Glens Falls! However, the strong league schedule was no longer enough for Bennett’s program. They wanted to play anybody they could, and signed up for some tough nonleague games.
Coming off of a historical run to the Far West Regional in football, several of the key pieces hadn’t even thought about hoops yet when the season started in December. I was on hand for Salamanca's first game this year against Cheektowaga. Boy did the late football season show against a talented Class A1 team. After getting handled for four quarters and forgetting how to play defense altogether, I left saying that’s the worst Salamanca team I’ve watched in three years. I even expressed that opinion to Bennett the next time I spoke to him. He agreed. However, unlike myself, it didn’t change his opinion of his own group at all. He still had full faith in his team's ability to achieve the goals ahead and said as much.
The next opponent on the schedule was eventual Class A1 Champion, Williamsville South, a team I had just watched the night prior. The Warriors were in big trouble, I thought, and decided against going to the game I had initially planned on making the trip for. Later that evening, I retweeted the Salamanca team account – a 56-38 victory over the Billies.
I was sure to be on hand for their next game, a trip to Niagara County's Class AA Niagara Wheatfield, who was fresh off a win over Lockport. Behind a 32-point performance from Lucus Brown and blistering team defense, they headed home with a 15-point victory. The next time they took the floor was a 31-point win against Class AA Sweet Home.
The Warriors had quickly restored my confidence and were now an easy choice to rank second among small schools behind reigning state champion Randolph – a team they'd face in early February. After earning a hard-fought comeback victory in the game that stole the show at the 2024 Centercourt Classic, Salamanca took the top spot amongst small schools in the area.
After finishing the regular season 15-5 and earning a second straight league championship in the division I thought they were crazy to join, Salamanca was the top seed in Class B2 and an overwhelming favorite to win the bracket. Instead, news came down just before the playoffs that an opt out by Buffalo Arts would force Salamanca to move up into Class B1, a bracket viewed as the most competitive, and one they had done little scout.
To make things more interesting, after the seedings came out, they would have to host Fredonia in a quarterfinal. The Hillbillies remember, were the team that dashed their hopes last season and had caught fire late in the season this year, knocking Salamanca off in their second league meeting.
Playing their best basketball of the season, and seemingly unfazed by a bump in classification on short notice, Salamanca marched through the local competition and won every Section VI playoff game by double figures. That list included Fredonia in the quarterfinal, N-O co-league champions Akron & Newfane, and Falconer in the regional qualifier game – all teams that would finish among the Top 10 WNY Small Schools at season's end.
The final hurdle for a return to Glens Falls in a higher classification was Avon, the team they had beaten in the regional two years earlier, ranked in the top five well ahead of Salamanca in NYS Class B for the second half of the season. Before a raucous crowd full of fans from both teams, Salamanca punched their ticket again.
Bennett will be the first to tell you that he's surrounded himself with great basketball minds and will incorporate anything he sees another team have success with for his own benefit. He speaks with ultimate respect for the abilities of the other coaches in his league, his rivals, and his mentors. He's assembled an outstanding staff of assistant coaches, including the Hall of Famer he was working under when I met him. And while you can see elements from all the greats he’s learned from, Salamanca basketball is a team with its own unique identity, and already one others will try to emulate.
Bennett is one of the rare ones that goes far above, and beyond to create an experience within his program that bonds young men together for life both on & off the court, while teaching the game. His teams play with such a fierce competitiveness, pride, and unity that most programs don’t commit to the consistent hard work to attain.
While every team has players that deal with loss and hardships, I want you to trust me as an audience…what some of the young men at Salamanca have collectively overcome together is remarkable. Also, remarkable is the class that those young men conduct themselves with, along with the chemistry and cohesion they have built together and showed as a team all season.
Salamanca's 2024 accomplishments include six victories over five other sectional champions (South by 18, Olean twice by 15 & 14, Falconer by 10, Randolph, & Avon) wins over eight state-ranked teams across four classifications, and a second straight league championship. They are the undisputed #1 small school in WNY and one of three teams to advance to the NYS Final Four.
They did all of this with one player placing among the Centercourt Top 60, a tremendous staff & community, a relentless team that truly played together & for each other, and a head coach who has always seen the best in his program and his players – even when others did not.
Salamanca's Adam Bennett is a most deserving Centercourt Coach of the Year for the 2024 season.
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