Elmira Southside Coach John Fesetch named Coach of the Year.

Southside's boys basketball program has enjoyed a resurgence under Fesetch. The Green Hornets have gotten better over each of the four seasons he's been in charge, going from 5-14 in 2005-06 to 8-11 in 2006-07 to 11-10 in 2007-08 to 15-7 this past season.
Fesetch credited his players, and his offensive philosophy allows them more opportunities to be creative. He said one of his mentors, Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight, helped instill that belief.
"It's freelance motion, and it's taken from Coach Knight based on letting kids play. ... The kids love it because it allows them a lot of freedom and allows them to play," Fesetch said. "I try to put kids in roles where they can be successful."

Coach Fesetch has brought excitement back to the Twin Tiers. Not to many times in our the Southern Tier High School basketball history do you see a local team branch out to play powerhouse high school teams as part of their schedule but SHS did just that by playing teams such as Gates-Chile (Rochester), Rochester East, Henninger (Syracuse, NY). Coaches would not sleep all night knowing they would face some of these teams.

My personal opinion is, if your going to be the best, you have to play the best. I think Coach Fesetch's move to play these powerhouse schools not only helped his team win the conference but also made it to the final 4 of the STAC Final Championship game held at Broome County Arena in Binghamton, NY.

Elmira Southside three times this year knocked off NYS ranked teams in Class A, the biggest win and most exciting was the overtime win against 5th ranked Newark at Elmira Southside's Coaches for Cancer Tournement

Congratulations Coach Fesetch on a great year and many more to come

Southesides Backer Player of the Year

ALL TWIN TIERS BASKETBALL
Southside's Backer, Horseheads' Wicks take top honors



The Southside High boys basketball team produced one of its most successful seasons in school history, winning the Southern Tier Athletic Conference West regular-season title and reaching the Section 4 Class A finals for the second year in a row.
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The Green Hornets got strong performances on the floor and from the bench, resulting in a sweep of the Star-Gazette All-Twin Tiers boys basketball awards.
Senior guard Mike Backer was named the Player of the Year and John Fesetch the Coach of the Year.
The boys and girls teams were selected by the Star-Gazette sports staff and included teams that were covered by the Star-Gazette this past season.
Meanwhile, the girls team has more underclassmen than seniors, headed by Horseheads High junior guard Anna Wicks as Player of the Year.
Odessa-Montour's Greg Gavich is the Coach of the Year.
Southside's boys basketball program has enjoyed a resurgence under Fesetch. The Green Hornets have gotten better over each of the four seasons he's been in charge, going from 5-14 in 2005-06 to 8-11 in 2006-07 to 11-10 in 2007-08 to 15-7 this past season.
Fesetch credited his players, and his offensive philosophy allows them more opportunities to be creative. He said one of his mentors, Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight, helped instill that belief.
"It's freelance motion, and it's taken from Coach Knight based on letting kids play. ... The kids love it because it allows them a lot of freedom and allows them to play," Fesetch said. "I try to put kids in roles where they can be successful."
Backer was the key cog in Southside's offense, and Fesetch said he had complete confidence in the 6-foot, 160-pound senior.
"Mike's a kid I've known since fifth grade. I don't know if I'll ever have a kid with the work ethic Mike has. He's the definition of a gym rat. He never complains; he just plays. He'll be sorely missed," Fesetch said.
Backer led the Green Hornets in scoring at 19 points per game, and his playmaking skills set up teammates for many more baskets. He led the team with 3.5 steals per game, and despite taking many shots from out deep Backer converted at 48 percent en route to being named to the STAC Metro/West all-conference team.
When looking back at the season, Backer -- who said he's undecided on a college choice -- focused more on his team than his statistics.
"It was a good season, but we could have done better. We worked hard and had one of the best teams we've ever had at Southside," he said. "We were a running team, so I was able to score since I got the ball in my hands a lot.
"All the hours each of us put in during the summer made us a better team. ... We came out with a chip on our shoulder after losing in sectionals last year."
The Horseheads girls won their Section 4 final this year, beating Binghamton in the Class AA title game before a close loss to Kingston in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class AA regionals.
Blue Raiders coach Andy Scott noted that Wicks stepped up after seeing little playing time the previous season.
"She did everything you can ask of from a point guard. Anna turned it over less than two times per game, and she led the team in points, assists and free throws," Scott said.
The 5-7 Wicks averaged 11.1 points, 4.5 assists and three steals.
"You may look at the stats and not be blown away, but this young lady was the backbone of our team," Scott said. "She applied herself to take over the point guard role this season. It shows what hard work can do. She showed a lot of poise for someone who didn't see a lot of playing time the year before.
"On defense, she shut down our opponents' best player. Anna helped us win a sectional championship in a rebuilding year. This is a nice honor for her."
Wicks said she learned a lot while backing up Ashley Deming last season, then she put in extra time competing in AAU ball.
"Last year, when I didn't play a lot, my confidence was lower. When Ashley left, I felt I had to step up," Wicks said, adding she's already training again toward next season.
"We all got along really well. We worked well together," she said of her teammates.
Gavich's Odessa-Montour team barely missed reached the state tournament, losing to Greene in the Section 4 Class C championship. But the Interscholastic Athletic Conference Division 2 champs finished with a 20-5 record, and that was particularly special to Gavich, as there was no Stefanie Collins or Sparky Gardner on the roster.
"It was a very satisfying season. The girls came ready every day to practice and every night for games. They were very coachable," Gavich said. "I had a lot of fun. We lost in the sectional final, but I was mostly sad because I wouldn't be able to work with this particular group.
"You have to take the cards you're dealt. In the off-season, we determined we wanted to run the floor, press and shoot the 3. I thought that was in our best interest, and the kids bought into that. We made the other teams adjust to us; last year we were adjusting to the other teams.
"Before, we'd have a 20-point-per-game scorer. With this team, someone different stepped up each night. You need that when you don't have a 20-point scorer. There were nights we'd have three or four players in double figures, sometimes five. ... I was wondering what we'd do at the end of games, but it wasn't as difficult as I anticipated. Each girl did what she did well. They put themselves in position to be successful."

When looking back at the season, Backer -- who said he's undecided on a college choice -- focused more on his team than his statistics.
"It was a good season, but we could have done better. We worked hard and had one of the best teams we've ever had at Southside," he said. "We were a running team, so I was able to score since I got the ball in my hands a lot.
"All the hours each of us put in during the summer made us a better team. ... We came out with a chip on our shoulder after losing in sectionals last year."
The Horseheads girls won their Section 4 final this year, beating Binghamton in the Class AA title game before a close loss to Kingston in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class AA regionals.
Blue Raiders coach Andy Scott noted that Wicks stepped up after seeing little playing time the previous season.
"She did everything you can ask of from a point guard. Anna turned it over less than two times per game, and she led the team in points, assists and free throws," Scott said.
The 5-7 Wicks averaged 11.1 points, 4.5 assists and three steals.
"You may look at the stats and not be blown away, but this young lady was the backbone of our team," Scott said. "She applied herself to take over the point guard role this season. It shows what hard work can do. She showed a lot of poise for someone who didn't see a lot of playing time the year before.
"On defense, she shut down our opponents' best player. Anna helped us win a sectional championship in a rebuilding year. This is a nice honor for her."
Wicks said she learned a lot while backing up Ashley Deming last season, then she put in extra time competing in AAU ball.
"Last year, when I didn't play a lot, my confidence was lower. When Ashley left, I felt I had to step up," Wicks said, adding she's already training again toward next season.
"We all got along really well. We worked well together," she said of her teammates.
Gavich's Odessa-Montour team barely missed reached the state tournament, losing to Greene in the Section 4 Class C championship. But the Interscholastic Athletic Conference Division 2 champs finished with a 20-5 record, and that was particularly special to Gavich, as there was no Stefanie Collins or Sparky Gardner on the roster.
"It was a very satisfying season. The girls came ready every day to practice and every night for games. They were very coachable," Gavich said. "I had a lot of fun. We lost in the sectional final, but I was mostly sad because I wouldn't be able to work with this particular group.
"You have to take the cards you're dealt. In the off-season, we determined we wanted to run the floor, press and shoot the 3. I thought that was in our best interest, and the kids bought into that. We made the other teams adjust to us; last year we were adjusting to the other teams.
"Before, we'd have a 20-point-per-game scorer. With this team, someone different stepped up each night. You need that when you don't have a 20-point scorer. There were nights we'd have three or four players in double figures, sometimes five. ... I was wondering what we'd do at the end of games, but it wasn't as difficult as I anticipated. Each girl did what she did well. They put themselves in position to be successful."

Southside boys fall in final to Norwich 51-46 ...Late rally falls short

BINGHAMTON - In a game played with the physicality of a Pitt Big East matchup, Norwich seemed more a survivor than a winner in the Section 4 Class A boys basketball championship.

Each time Southside cut the gap, the Purple Tornado were able to stop the Green Hornets' momentum, holding on for a 51-46 victory Thursday night at Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.
Southside (15-7) sliced away at a 10-point deficit with 4 1/2 minutes left to get to within three with 1 1/2 minutes remaining. Mike Backer's 3-pointer from the corner made it 49-46 with 1:35 left to play, then Vaughn Labor resumed his dominance down low for the Purple Tornado and drew two fouls. He made just 2-of-4 free throws, but they were enough to put Norwich (20-3) in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association playoffs.
"I'm not usually the one at the line," said the 6-foot-5 senior, who scored a game-high 21 points.
"I just tried to stay in there," Labor said of the rugged play both underneath and outside.
Norwich coach Mark Abbott appreciated his big man's effort.
"Labor was huge for us inside. He had his sights set on states, and he carried us," Abbott said.
Southside led just once, 2-0, when Isaac Yorro converted off an offensive rebound. He led the Green Hornets with 14 points.
Labor and Corey Dietrich then took over, combining for 19 points to give Norwich a 22-9 advantage 4:24 before halftime. Dietrich, who did most of his damage on drives to the basket, finished with 13 points.
The Green Hornets, plagued by turnovers and missed shots, made a run just before intermission as Kevyn Walker drained a pair of 3s and Backer scored down low to pull Southside to within 24-18 with a half remaining.
But Norwich scored the first five points of the third period to up its lead to 29-18. Again, Southside fought back but was never able to get even with the Purple Tornado.
"We played hard and kept battling," Southside coach John Fesetch said. "We had a hard time putting the ball in the hoop."
Norwich enjoyed a big advantage at the foul line, taking 25 attempts to seven for Southside.
One call that particularly steamed the Southside faithful involved a vicious slam dunk by Brent McLaurin off a rebound of a Backer shot with five minutes left in the game. The basket was disallowed when the official ruled McLaurin went over a Norwich player's back.
Had it counted, it would have pulled Southside to within five at 44-39. Instead, Norwich got three more points and led 47-37 with 4:31 left.
Brad Bellinger, who finished with 12 points, pulled down some tough defensive rebounds and Backer, who struggled most of the night offensively, got four of his 10 points over the final 2 1/2 minutes as the Green Hornets rallied again.
"I tried to bring us back, but they were tougher than us," Backer said.
Even more saddening than the loss for Fesetch is the end of his time working with this Green Hornets unit.
"It's going to be tough not to coach these guys because of the kind of kids they are," he said.

Southside vs. Norwich tonight for Class A boys title March 5 2009

Basketball programs that hadn't collided for better than 20 years will do so for the second time in 17 days, with Section 4's Class A boys championship at stake beginning at 7:45 tonight at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.


Top-seeded Southside and No. 3 seed Norwich got acquainted in the semifinal round of Southern Tier Athletic Conference playoffs, the Purple Tornado controlling second-half play and claiming a 66-55 victory.
"We'll have to batten down the hatches," Tornado coach Mark Abbott said. "In the first game, we gave up 18 points in the first quarter and 37 the rest of the way. ... They're a fast-paced team, and we need to make them be a slower-paced team."
The Green Hornets are led by 6-foot guard Mike Backer and 6-4 forward Isaac Yorro, who together provide 32 1/2 points per game. They were limited to a combined 11 points in Game 1, and Norwich countered with 10 3-point goals-- six from Josh Borfitz in a 24-point outing.
Topping Southside coach John Fesetch's priority list for the title game? "Defend!" he said.
Fesetch added, "Mark's kids are very comfortable in what they do. He obviously does a great job of teaching his kids how to play basketball. They're just a fun team to watch play. ... They do a lot of stuff off the dribble, yet they take great shots."
Vestal, Windsor and Seton Catholic Central have been the lone teams this season to get the better of Norwich, which has won 10 of its last 11 games. The Purple Tornado's sectional playoff victories have come by 22 and 29 points, respectively.
Abbott cited transition defense and defensive rebounding as keys to success for his squad, which has long targeted just that on this night.
"Our goal since last March has been to win the Section 4 Class A championship," he said, "and 11 months have now turned into 32 minutes."

Elmira Southside Boys Basketball reach the finals for the Section 4 Class A Playoffs. Green Hornets head to Broome County Arena for title game

Southside boys hoops team advances to finals which will be held at Broome County Veterns Memorial Arena Thursady Feb 5 2009

The Southside boys threatened to put Maine-Endwell away early Saturday night, but the Spartans scrapped back before the top-seeded Green Hornets won 67-56 in a Section 4 Class A semifinal at Southside.

The win sets up a rematch of the Southern Tier Athletic Conference semifinals, when Norwich beat Southside 66-55 at Norwich. The second-seeded Purple Tornado, a 70-41 winner over Elmira Free Academy in the other semifinal, will take on the Hornets at 7:45 p.m. Thursday at Broome Country Veterans Memorial Arena in Binghamton.
Top-seeded Southside (15-6) played harassing half-court defense and stepped into the passing lanes for several steals. But the Hornets were inconsistent in converting the fast-break attempts and the Spartans, led by Joe Powell's 18 points, worked double-digit leads back to within two points before foul trouble caught up to them late in the game.
"I thought we were sloppy with the ball, but it wasn't because of lack of effort," Southside coach John Fesetch said. "Maybe the kids were a little too pumped up. But we guarded very well on defense and did a great job of helping each other out, so I'm quite pleased. Maine-Endwell are a bunch of tough kids and Powell is a heck of a player."
Isaac Yorro opened the scoring with a 3-pointer and had five points as Southside never trailed and led by as much as 15-4 before M-E (14-6) came back to 15-7 on a 3-pointer by Brian Ruby. In the second quarter, the Hornets led 23-12 before the Spartans fought back to 31-24 at halftime. Mike Backer came alive for seven of his game-high 20 points to lead Southside in the second quarter. Powell, who didn't score in the opening period, had six points before the half.
"Our kids have a ton of heart," Maine-Endwell coach Bill Ocker said. "We feel like we can win any game right up until the final buzzer, no matter what the situation. But we're aggressive and we do pick up a lot of fouls. That's been a problem for us a few times this year and it hurt tonight."
The score was 46-41 to start the fourth period, but by the time John Connolly fouled out, with about three minutes to go, the Southside lead was back to 60-50. Down the stretch, Backer went 6-for-8 from the foul line.
"We just kept working hard and moving the ball around until things started falling," Backer said. "But the defense was setting a lot of it up. I thought the way Bryan Gilbert played Powell was a key.
"Now we'll try to get ready for Norwich. That should be a good game."

Elmira Southside Boys Basketball advance to the Semi Finals of the Section 4 Class A Playoff Race

Southside hosts fifth-seeded Maine-Endwell in a semifinal game Saturday night.

The Green Hornets 14-6 will host Maine-Endwell 13-5. Southside finished first in the STAC West(8-1) and Maine-Endwell finished 2nd in the STAC Central (5-3). The two teams have not met this year. Maine Endwell averages 58 points per game on offense and 50 points per game on defense while Elmira Southside averaged 68 points per game on offense and 62 points per game on defense.

Southside Advances in Section 4 Class A boys basketball Playoff Race

Mike Backer scored 19 points to help top-seeded Southside beat eighth-seeded Johnson City 74-56 in a Section 4 Class A boys basketball quarterfinal game Wednesday.

Kevyn Walker added 11 points for Southside (14-6), and Isaac Yorro had 10 points.
Southside built a 22-12 lead after one quarter and Johnson City switched to an active zone defense after that, slowing the game's tempo, Southside coach John Fesetch said. Johnson City was within seven to start the fourth quarter, but Southside pulled away after the Wildcats were forced to abandon their zone as time wound down.
Troy Robinson had 20 points for JC, and Ronald Teekasingh added 19 points.
Southside hosts fifth-seeded Maine-Endwell in a semifinal game Saturday night.