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Raiders Continue To Roll

Knock Off Clarence For Second Time This Season For 4th Straight Win

Jamestown’s Demarri Jones (0) puts up a shot as Clarence’s River Reinhardt (5) defends during Saturday’s Erie County Interscholastic Conference Division 1 basketball game. P-J photo by Alex Shipherd

Don’t look now, but the hottest team in Division 1 of the Erie County Interscholastic Conference may very well be the one that calls McElrath Gymnasium home.

Demarri Jones scored 13 points and grabbed eight rebounds to lead a balanced attack Saturday as Jamestown rolled to a 64-42 victory over Clarence.

The win, the Red Raiders’ second of the season against the Red Devils and their fourth in a row, improves their record to 13-5 overall and 6-4 in the division. Clarence, meanwhile, falls to 13-4 and 8-2.

Talk about hitting on cylinders at just the right time.

In addition to Jones’ continued outstanding play — the sophomore hit 5 of 7 shots from the field — Coach Ben Drake received contributions from up and down the roster.

Jamestown’s Trey Drake (1) puts up a floater in the lane over Clarence’s JD Brooks (42). P-J photo by Alex Shipherd

Shaheem Freeney came off the bench to score 12 points; Simeon Leeper had 10 points and eight rebounds; Grant Moore collected 8 points and eight boards; and Trey Drake, an eighth-grader, drilled a pair of 3-pointers that triggered a 15-4 third-quarter run that allowed Jamestown to pull away.

In addition to the balanced scoring, the Red Raiders limited the Red Devils to just 15 of 44 shooting from the floor and dominated the glass, 40-14.

River Reinhardt paced Clarence with 14 points and Zach Ianello added 9.

The game was close for most of the first half, but the hosts gained some separation, courtesy of a third-quarter run that put Jamestown comfortably in front.

First, Daunte Garland nailed a trey to put the Red Raiders in front, 33-24. After Reinhardt’s 3-pointer, Jones converted a pair of free throws, Freeney scored on a putback, and Trey Drake hit a 3-pointer from the wing.

After a Clarence timeout, Trey Drake drove the lane and put up a floater that didn’t fall, but Freeney grabbed another rebound and scored again to extend the Red Raiders’ lead to 42-27 with 2:18 remaining in the period. Less than a minute later, Trey Drake was left open in the corner for his second 3-pointer that expanded the margin to 45-28.

The Red Devils got no closer than 13 the rest of the way.

NOTES: Jamestown shot 24 of 50 from the floor and 12 of 15 from the foul line. … The Red Raiders return to action Monday at Lancaster as they continue to battle for seeding position in the upcoming Section VI Class AA playoffs. … Jamestown’s last regular-season game is Wednesday at home against West Seneca West. … In the junior varsity game, the Red Raiders improved to 15-3 after downing Clarence, 46-41. Jaylen Butera led Jamestown with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

CLARENCE (42)

Ferris 2 0 6, Reinhardt 5 2 14, Wurtz 1 0 2, Harris 0 1 1, Ianello 3 0 9, Putney 2 0 5, Brooks 2 1 5, Totals 15 4 42.

JAMESTOWN (64)

Jones 5 3 13, Drake 2 0 6, Holt 0 1 1, Rojas 2 0 5, Swegles 1 0 2, Garland 1 2 5, Moore 4 0 8, Crofoot 1 0 2, Leeper 5 0 10, Freeney 3 6 12, Anderson 0 0 0, Dix 0 0 0, Esquilin 0 0 0, Totals 24 12 64.

3-point goals–Ferris 2, Reinhardt 2, Ianello 3, Putney, Drake 2, Rojas, Garland.

Clarence 7 11 14 10 — 42

Jamestown 9 17 22 16 — 64

Jayvees: Jamestown 46, Clarence 41.

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