IAC GIRLS BASKETBALL: CANDOR NIPPED, 45-44, IN FINAL MINUTES BY STATE-RANKED UNION SPRINGS (2025-01-17)

Tioga County Sports Report
CANDOR — Candor overcame an early deficit, and led most of the game, but state-ranked Union Springs held the Coyotes scoreless over the final 3 1/2 minutes to pull out a 45-44 win here Friday night in IAC crossover girls basketball action.

"I'm incredibly proud of our efforts tonight, especially bouncing back from Tuesday's loss with such hustle and intensity," said Candor coach Carl Kanoff.

"You always hate to lose, but taking a state-ranked team to the brink and having chances to win, hopefully, shows the girls what they can do night in and night out.

"There's a lot of season left to achieve great things," added Kanoff.

The Wolves, ranked 20th in Class C, opened the scoring inside with center Jennifer Daum, but the Coyotes countered on the next possession with a lay-up from Claire Rollins.

An 8-0 run gave Union Springs a 10-2 lead, but Emmi Makie hit her first three of the night with 3:10 remaining close the gap to 10-5.

A few possessions later, Makie would find the net again from behind the arc to pull the Coyotes within two, at 12-9.

After another bucket by Daum, who had 10 first-quarter points, Makie knocked down here third 3-pointer to trim the deficit to 14-12 after the first eight minutes.

The Candor defense found a way to keep Daum without a field goal in the second quarter, and went on a 9-2 run over the first six minutes.

Makie scored in the final minute to give the Coyotes their biggest lead, at 23-16, but Ainsley Biter's 3-pointer closed the gap to 23-19 at the half.

Coming out of the half, Megan Williamson drilled a 3-pointer to extend the Coyote lead to seven, at 26-19, but Union Springs erased that quickly with a 9-0 run to take a 28-26 lead.

Makie drained a 3-pointer moments later to give Candor a 29-28 lead, but Union Springs quickly regained the lead.

After Williamson and Daum traded buckets, Candor Malley Heidl knocked down a 3-pointer from the corner, and Nicole Poli scored her first varsity points in the low post to give the Coyotes a 36-32 lead with 1 minute remaining in the third quarter.

After knocking down a pair of free throws, Allie Parker scored on a lay-up with 5 seconds remaining to send the game into the fourth quarter tied at 36-36.

Parker scored again in the opening moments of the final stanza, but Claire Rollins answered with a bucket to tie it at 38-38.

Twenty seconds later, Makie canned her career-best sixth 3-pointer to give the Coyotes a 41-38 lead.

Union Springs used a free throw and a short jumper to tie the score at 41-41 midway through the quarter, then Rollins knocked down a 3-pointer from the wing with 3 1/2 minutes remaining to make it 44-41.

Union scored a pair of buckets to take a 45-44 lead with 2 1/2 minutes left in the game, and neither team could add to its tally the remainder of the contest.

Makie scored a game-high 25 points, including six 3-pointers, and grabbed 11 rebounds and three steals, while Rollins had nine points and four rebounds, Williamson scored five points, and Shawna Conklin grabbed seven rebounds.

Jennifer Daum led Springs (8-3) with 20 points, and Allie Parker added 16.

Candor (8-3, 5-2 IAC) heads to Harpursville Tuesday for a Section IV non-league match up.

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PHOTOS BY SARAH HALL.

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