HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS' BASKETBALL: EXPRESS EDGE OWEGO TO WIN CHARLIE SIBLEY TOURNEY (20 PHOTOS) (2023-12-02) Southern Tier Sports Report OWEGO — The Elmira girls’ basketball team capped off a perfect weekend by edging Owego 46-44 in the championship game of the Charlie Sibley Memorial Tournament on Saturday.
Ellie Clearwater had a game-high 20 points and freshman Mariah Matias had 12 points, 12 boards and three blocked shots to earn tournament MVP honors. Clearwater was named to the all-tournament team.
“A fantastic team win,” Elmira coach A’Don Allen said. “A great early season test for our team as we are still figuring some things out. We’ve shown a lot of fight in these first two games and to come out of that tournament with two wins vs. two STAC teams is a big feat early in the season. Mariah Matias has improved so much since last year and she is just scratching the surface of her potential as a freshman. She has taken her game to an entirely higher level and is getting better every day.
“Ellie did what she does. I think she’s been extremely underrated in her career. She is one of the hardest working kids we’ve ever had in this program and she has put herself in a position to have a dynamic senior year. She hit some big shots today and she has become such a fantastic all-around player. I’m proud of the kids for the effort these past two days. Ashaya Wallace has played lights out defense these first two games and Laila Burchard and Caitlyn Wagner played huge in the second half tonight. Great start to what will be a great season.”
Alyvia Woodruff had six points for Elmira and Wagner had five points. Burchard had four points, Wallace had three points and Addison Taft had two points.
Ava Brown had 16 points and Madison McEvoy had 12 for Owego. ——— PHOTOS BY TIM TAYLOR.
