Wellsville boys shock Ottawa for Baldwin title

? All is well at Wellsville High.

The Eagles rallied from a 15-point third-quarter deficit to stun Ottawa, 58-55, to earn the championship of the Baldwin Invitational boys basketball tournament Saturday night.

Fourth-seeded Wellsville didn’t take the back door, either. The Eagles knocked off No. 1 seed Mill Valley in Friday’s semifinals, then shocked the second-seeded Cyclones in the title game.

Both Ottawa and Mill Valley are Class 5A schools, while Wellsville is classified in 3A, but don’t call the Eagles giant-killers.

“Our kids think they’re pretty good,” Wellsville coach Dirk Over said. “They’re good, and they work hard, and they don’t take it for granted.”

When Ottawa raced to a 47-32 lead midway through the third quarter, most spectators took it for granted the Cyclones would win going away. But the Eagles staged an amazing comeback.

“We knew we could do it,” Wellsville junior guard Scott Samsel said. “We did it with heart and hustle. They had so much size. We won it with our hustle.”

Hustling defense, to be specific. Wellsville held Ottawa to 1-for-11 shooting in the decisive fourth quarter.

Ottawa coach David Grover made no excuses.

“Both teams had the same opportunities down the stretch,” Grover said. “They executed, and we didn’t, and they deserved to win.”

Samsel led Wellsville (10-1) with 17 points. Addison Miller and Matt Leecy led the Cyclones (10-2) with 12 and 11 points.

Mill Valley 48, Baldwin 47

Senior guard Jack Johnson drilled a three-point goal – his fourth of the night – with :07 remaining, and the Jaguars earned third place.