‘IT’S BEEN A BALL’
Cotton catches fire, fuels UPrep’s first Section V boys basketball title since 2020
ROCHESTER — University Prep’s boys basketball team screamed “Money line!” while receiving their championship hardware during the Section V Class AAA finals awards ceremony.
Maybe it’s because Jerelle Cotton and his fourth-seeded UPrep Griffins felt like underdogs all season. Friday night inside Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial, though, UPrep played like a heavy favorite after overwhelming No. 4 Franklin 83-65. The win marked UPrep’s first Section V title since 2020.
Cotton is living the dream in his first varsity season. The junior is now a section champion, and was named MVP of the tournament after a brilliant 24point performance. Cotton showed out with 3-point daggers, and two onehanded, rim-rocking dunks while attributing to a remarkable defensive team effort.
“I’m happy as ever right now. This is my first year playing varsity and it’s been a ball. Wins. Losses. We’ve all been here with each other, coming to practice to get better. It worked in our favor, obviously,” Cotton said.
What it means for UPrep
UPrep coach Jerice Crouch’s Griffins improved to 14-9 through a battletested schedule. Crouch was an assistant under coach Demond Stewart during UPrep’s 2020 title run. This winter, UPrep beat Rush-Henrietta in the quarterfinals on senior Alex Webb’s last-second shot, and leaned on Cotton’s late game heater to eliminate top-seeded Aquinas in the semifinals and clinch a finals return.
Once upon a time, UPrep had trouble finishing games. The Griffins are now 2-1 against Franklin this season, but they almost lost a large lead to the Bulldogs earlier this season at home. On Friday, UPrep led by four at halftime before outscoring Franklin 33-17 in the third.
“We talked about ... it in the third quarter. We’ve been in this position. You can’t let up. You got to attack and be smart with the basketball. And that’s what they did,” Crouch said.
Franklin coach Joseph Jackson’s Bulldogs fell to 15-7. They were in good shape to win the program’s first section title since 2001, but ran into a buzz
saw Friday. Terence Thompson, the Bulldogs’ 6-foot-8 star center, will graduate with over 1,000 points.
Tournament MVP
Jermelle Cotton
UPrep’s junior guard scored 24 points on five 3s. Cotton took advantage of a half-day of school by getting shots up at the YMCA. He began the semifinals with two points through three quarters, but made three 3s in Friday’s first quarter.
“I couldn’t start off slow again. couldn’t happen,” Cotton said.
“He’s probably the best shooter in Section V. ... The kid can shoot,” Crouch said. “I’ve seen him make tons and tons and tons of shots in practice and in games. No shortage of seeing him out here on the big stage knocking down shots.”
Play of the game
Cotton’s first dunk was enough of an exclamation point. That one-handed slam dunk gave UPrep a commanding 65-43 lead in the final seconds of the third. Then Cotton began the fourth quarter with another fast break dunk. A similar one-handed slam Cotton put down with authority.
“I got the little sneaky bounce. I don’t show it often. But it’s there,” Cotton said.
Game balls
It
Ja’yvion Sampson
The sophomore point guard played a key role in the backcourt pressure UPrep provided. As he’s done all postseason, Sampson covered guards like white on rice while running UPrep’s offense. On the backend, Webb scored 10 points but held his own in the paint against Franklin’s towering Terence Thompson. Knekose Mack (11 points), Quentin Nowden and Keone Manigault added to UPrep’s defensive prowess.
“The little guy (Sampson) sets the tone ... and the big guy (Webb) cleans it up. That’s how it goes,” Crouch said. “The things that don’t show up on the stat sheet, they do. We don’t win this without those guys.”
Shawn Goins
Franklin’s senior guard scored 12 points and battled through a tough assignment as the Bulldogs’ primarily ball handler against UPrep’s stingy defense. Kollin McCullough scored 12 points. Terence Thompson
Franklin’s senior center scored a team-high 19 points. Terence Thompson made 9-of-13 foul shots. He battled foul trouble in the second half, fouling out down 24 with 3:53 remaining. His twin brother, Clarence, scored 8 points while battling foul trouble in the first half. Gavin White
The athletically gifted freshman scored 10 of his 12 points during UPrep’s 33-point third quarter. White also made key defensive plays.
“They do not like pressure, and as we saw, we pressured them and they busted,” Cotton said.
All-tournament team
Class AAA: MVP Jermelle Cotton (UPrep), Alex Webb (UPrep), Gavin White (UPrep), Clarence Thompson (Franklin), Terence Thompson (Franklin), Chris Leysath (Aquinas), LaShard Lowry (Fairport).
Tom Downey Coach of the Franklin coach Joseph Jackson.
What’s next for UPrep
Year:
UPrep will play the Section VI champion Niagara Falls in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class AAA Far West Regional on Saturday, March 9.