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.

Southside boys, Horseheads girls top section seeds

The Southside boys and the Horseheads girls have earned top seeds for the Section 4 basketball playoffs, it was announced Tuesday.

Southside is the top seed in Class A and will host eighth-seeded Johnson City at 7 p.m. next Wednesday. Also in Class A boys games next Wednesday, fourth-seeded Corning West hosts fifth-seeded Maine-Endwell and second-seeded Elmira Free Academy hosts seventh-seeded Corning East. Both games start at 7 p.m.
The Horseheads girls are the top seed in Class AA and received a first-round bye. Horseheads will host either fourth-seeded Ithaca or fifth-seeded Vestal at 7 p.m. Feb. 27 at Horseheads Middle School in a semifinal game.
Other pairings:
* Class AA boys: Horseheads is seeded fourth and will host No. 5 Ithaca at 7 p.m. next Wednesday at Horseheads Middle School.
* Class B boys: Waverly, the No. 5 seed, received a first-round bye and will play at No. 4 Oneonta in a quarterfinal game Feb. 28. Watkins Glen, the No. 3 seed, also received a first-round bye and will host either Windsor or Dryden in a quarterfinal Feb. 28.
* Class C boys: Notre Dame is seeded third and received a first-round bye. The Crusaders will host either sixth-seeded Odessa-Montour or 11th-seeded Unatego in a quarterfinal Feb. 28. O-M and Unatego play at 7 p.m. next Wednesday in Odessa.
Also, 12th-seeded Spencer-Van Etten plays at No. 5 Walton at 7 p.m. next Wednesday.
* Class A girls: Waverly is seeded third and will host sixth-seeded Corning East at 7 p.m. Tuesday; fourth-seeded Corning West hosts fifth-seeded Southside at 7 p.m. Tuesday; and second-seeded Elmira Free Academy hosts seventh-seeded Johnson City at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
* Class B girls: Fifth-seeded Notre Dame hosts 12th-seeded Whitney Point at 7 p.m. Tuesday, and ninth-seeded Watkins Glen plays at eighth-seeded Chenango Forks at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
* Class C girls: Odessa-Montour earned the No. 2 seed and will host 15th-seeded Marathon at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Southside boys fall in STAC semifinals

NORWICH - For fashion, it's not recommended to put purple and green together. But it can make for an entertaining basketball game.
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The Norwich Purple Tornado clashed with the Southside Green Hornets on Tuesday night and emerged with a 66-55 win in a Southern Tier Athletic Conference boys basketball semifinal game. Norwich will next take on Vestal, a 69-46 winner over Seton Catholic in the other semifinal, at 8:45 p.m. Saturday at Binghamton University in the championship game.
Norwich (17-2) hit seven 3-pointers in a 43-point second half, coming from behind to put Southside away down the stretch. Josh Borfitz led the assault with 19 of his 24 points in the third and fourth periods.
"It's nice to shoot like that against such a good team," Norwich coach Mark Abbott said. "And I can't say enough about what a scrappy, athletic team Southside is. John (Fesetch) is doing a great job there and they're just a fantastic team. I'm awfully excited that we beat them."
In a fast-paced first half, Southside (13-6) led 18-13 after the first quarter and 27-23 at halftime. Brent McLaurin fueled the Hornets in the opening period, slamming a two-handed dunk for the game's first points and capping his eight-point quarter with another two-handed slam off an offensive rebound.
Mike Backer scored five points for Southside in the second quarter, but Norwich closed to within 25-23 on Borfitz's first 3-pointer. Kevyn Walker hit a 16-foot jumper at the buzzer to give the Hornets the four-point halftime cushion.
Borfitz tied the score at 30-30 in the third period with the first of his five second-half 3-pointers. By the time Richie Bonney hit two free throws to finish the third-period scoring, Norwich had eased out to a 43-40 lead.
Bonney contributed eight fourth-quarter points to finish with 19, and Borfitz continued his hot shooting with 11 points in the final quarter.
"Our big guys were setting good picks," Borfitz said. "I'm just happy to get the good looks and lucky I was hitting the shots. We're known for our 'D,' so to hit some threes in a big game is a plus."
McLaurin and Bryan Gilbert each had 12 points to lead Southside. Anderson Brooks came on in the fourth quarter to hit three 3-pointers and twice bring Southside within a point. Southside was within 56-55 with about three minutes left, but Norwich scored the game's final 10 points.
"I'm not disappointed with the way we played," Southside coach John Fesetch said. "In fact, I'm happy with how we played. It's just that Norwich knows how to use that 3-point line, and we couldn't stop them."

Southside will play at STAC Central champion Norwich at the opening rounds of the STAC Tournament Tues Feb 17 2009

The Green Hornets will next play in the four-team STAC tournament, starting with Tuesday's semifinals. Southside will play at STAC Central champion Norwich at 6:30 p.m.

1st Place STAC West ...Elmira Southside (13-5) overall and (8-1) West STAC

1st Place STAC Central...Norwich (15-3) overall and (8-0) Central STAC

EFA upsets Elmira Southside in a STAC West archrival Game

Southside losses for the first time in STAC West Conference game to EFA 66-63

EFA boys 66, Southside 63: Reggie Corley scored 27 points as Elmira Free Academy handed Southern Tier Athletic Conference West champion Southside the loss.
Southside (13-5, 9-3) jumped out to a 23-16 lead after the first quarter, but the Blue Devils had the scoring edge in every quarter after that. EFA (10-8, 6-6) trailed 49-48 heading to the fourth quarter.
"Academy just played with an awful lot of heart," Southside coach John Fesetch said. "They deserved to win this game."
Mike Backer led the way for Southside with 18 points.
The Green Hornets will next play in the four-team STAC tournament, starting with Tuesday's semifinals. Southside will play at STAC Central champion Norwich at 6:30 p.m.

Update: Elmira Southside Boys Basketball move up to 23rd in the State rankings Class A by the New York State Sportswriters Association

Elmira Southside Green Hornets under Coach John Fesetch continue their climb up the New York State High School Basketball Rankings as one of the best elite teams in Class A.

The Green Hornets move up to 23rd in the State today according to The NYS Sportswriters Association.

Earlier this year, Elmira Southside knocked off 15th ranked EFA and 17th ranked Vestal. But the most impressive performence was a big win over 5th ranked Newark in OT. at The Coaches for Cancer title game in front of over 4000 people.

Elmira Southside Green Hornets 2008-09 Boys Basketball Schedule and results

Elmira Southside 2008-09 Results 13-4
(8-0 in STAC West)

(2/10/09) Elmira Southside @ Corning East 86-75 W

(2/6/09) Elmira Southside @ Elmira (EFA) 80-77 W

(1/30/09) Elmira Southside @ Corning West 67-53 W

(1/23/09) Elmira Southside @ Horseheads 78-60 W

(1/20/09) Elmira Southside @ Union-Endicott 66-69 L

(1/16/09) Ithaca @ Elmira Southside 42-81 W

(1/13/09) Vestal @ Elmira Southside 67-81 W

(1/6/09) Elmira Southside@ Binghamton 54-59 L

(12/29/08) Newark @ Elmira Southside 64-65 W

(12/28/08) Elmira Free Acad. @ Elmira Southside 48-58 W

(12/27/08) Horseheads @ Elmira Southside 54-66 W

(12/23/08) Elmira Southside @ Henninger 55-84 L

(12/16/08) Corning East @ Elmira Southside 65-96 W

(12/10/08) Corning West @ Elmira Southside 45-59 W

(12/5/08) Rochester East @ Elmira Southside 61-72 W

(11/29/08) Elmira Southside @ Gates Chili 63-73 L

(11/28/08) Elmira Southside @ Dr. Freddie Thomas 65-55 W

Elmira Southside Boys beat stuborn Corning East 86-75 in a STAC West match-up

Elmira Southside improves their record to 8-0 in the STAC West Conference and 13-4 overall. Elmira Southside is ranked as of Feb 4 2009 24th in Class A High School basketball by The New York State Sportswriters Association.

Southside 86, Corning west 75

Mike Backer scored 14 of his 19 points in the 4th quarter to help Elmira Southside outlast STAC West opponent Corning East.

Three other Green Hornets scored in double figures, as Bryan Gilbert had 18, Kevin Walker 14 and Anderson Brooks 12.

For Corning East, Brandon Griffin and Justin Cramer Paterson each scored 19 points, and Joel Crammer 16.

State ranked Southside Green Hornets wraps up STAC West

Hornets wrap up STAC West
Southside holds off EFA for 80-77 win


Southside clinched the Southern Tier Athletic Conference West boys basketball title.
Southside (12-4, 8-2) led by double digits most of the way, but EFA (6-8, 4-6) took a 67-65 lead midway through the fourth quarter to cap a 17-4 run. EFA had a chance to tie at the final buzzer, but Jorell Cook's long 3-point attempt banged off the back of the rim.
The Green Hornets regained their composure and the lead over the final three minutes. Mike Backer, who finished with 26 points, was 9-for-10 at the foul line down the stretch.
"We got that big lead with good execution," Backer said. "But you've got to give EFA credit for the run they made."
Reggie Corley led the Blue Devils' comeback with 12 of his game-high 33 points in the fourth quarter. Twice during EFA's battle back Corley grabbed a defensive rebound, dribbled the length of the floor and drove for a layup.
"In the first half we dug a big hole," EFA coach Jesse Ferris said. "But to our kids' credit, they didn't give up. We gave ourselves a chance to win at the end, and that's about all we could do. I don't really believe in moral victories, but this game might be a confidence booster for us."
Isaac Yorro added 19 points and was a force on the backboards for Southside. Anderson Brooks had 12 points for the Green Hornets, including 10 in the second quarter.
Valez Ross-Toro added 19 points for EFA, and Cook finished with 11.
"We've got some issues toforward to playing EFA again next week. But I'm really happy for all the Southside supporters. This means a lot to all the fans, administrators and teachers that put out so much effort to come out a cheer for us."

Southsides Mike Backer and Isaac Yorro move up to 5th and 21st in Section 4 Scoring leaders

Elmira Southside State ranked basketball team has two players in the top 25 in scoring for the Section 4 High School Basketball .

Mike Backer continues

his pace as he moves up to 5th place in scoring at 19.3 ppg

Isaac Yorro impressive season moves up to 21st in the Section 4 scoring race at 14.8 ppg

Elmira Southside is 11-4 this year and 6-0 in the STAC West

Yesterday Elmira Southsid ealso moved up in the New York State Sportswriters poll rankings to number 24.

2008-2009 STAC West Standings

Elmira Southside Clinch 1st place STAC West with a perfect 6-0

Elmira Soutside Boys basketball team moves up to number 24 in the New York State Rankings Class A

The Green Hornets keep on truckin there way up the ladder by climbing up 1 spot this week in the New York States Sportswriters Association State Rank poll for Class A to No#24

As of Feb 4 2009 has Elmira Southside at number 24. Batavia is ahead of SHS at number 23. This year Elmira Southside knocked off Vestal which was 17th in the State, Elmira Free Academy which was 15th in the State and powerhouse Newark, who is ranked 5th in the State Class A. Newarks only loss of the year is to the Green Hornets in the Coaches for Cancer Tournament held Dec 30 2008.

Southside won in OT 66-65.

Elmira Southside Boys beat Corning West 67-53

Jan 30 2009

Mike Backer continues to shoot well. For the last 3 games Mike has combined for over 70 points

Southside now is 12-4 and undefeated in the STAC West at 6-0

New York High School Basketball -

Southside fells Corning-Painted Post West (January 30, 2009: Elmira, NY 14904) Fans at Friday's league battle between the Southside Green Hornets (Elmira, NY) and the visiting Corning-Painted Post West Vikings (Painted Post, NY), saw Southside's basketball team achieve victory over Corning-Painted Post West by a score of 67-53. The Green Hornets now possess a 12-4 record.

Elmira Southside Boys Basketball Rank 25 in the State of New York Class A Division

Elmira Southside hard work is paying off in a big way according to the New York State SportsWriters Association poll this week. The Green Hornets moved up a notch after impressive wins over Ithaca and Horseheads.

The basketball program at Elmira Southside keeps getting better all the time under Coach John Fesetch. In just his 3rd year at SHS, the Green Hornets have achieved a mile stone being in the same class as one of the 25 best teams in the State of New York Class A

New York State SportsWriters Association Boys Hoops State Rankings

Elmira Southside beats Horseheads in a league game 78-60

Southside improves its record to 5-0 in the STAC West and 10-4 over

Southside, EFA boys win in hoops
Staff report • January 24, 2009

Mike Backer scored 28 points and came up big in the final quarter to lead league-leading Southside over Horseheads, 78-60, in a Southern Tier Athletic Conference West boys basketball game Friday.
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Also for the Green Hornets (10-4, 6-2 STAC), Isaac Yorro added 13 points, and Brad Bellinger and Kevyn Walker each had 10 points.
"It was a great ballgame," Horseheads coach Steve Monks said. "We cut the lead to nine points midway through the fourth quarter, but then Backer iced it."
Backer hit a 3-pointer to make it a 12-point game and was 7-for-7 at the foul line in the final quarter.
Malik Arnold topped Horseheads (4-9, 2-6) with 21 points and grabbed 16 rebounds.

UE gets past Elmira Southside 69-66 in a cross STAC East/West game

Union-Endicott 69, Southside 66:

Southside's Mike Backer scored 20 points and Isaac Yorro added 16 points in a Southern Tier Athletic Conference loss to Union-Endicott.

Elmira Southside is now 0-4 overall and still undefeated in the STAC West.

Elmira Southside bounces Ithaca 81-42

Class A STAC West league leader Elmira Southside improved their record to 10-3 overall and 3-0 in STAC West standings. Also of note this week the New York State Sportswriters Association has selected Elmira Southside as a Honorable Mention in the Class A rankings in the State of New York State

Southside boys top Ithaca; EFA falls to Binghamton
Edison, Notre Dame, Watkins Glen win in IAC action
Staff report • January 17, 2009

Four Southside players scored in double figures as the first-place Green Hornets beat Ithaca 81-42 in a Southern Tier Athletic Conference boys basketball game Friday at Southside.

Brent McLaurin scored 21 points, Isaac Yorro had 17, Mike Backer 13 and Bryan Gilbert 11. Senior point guard Kevyn Walker continued to do a strong job running the offense as the Green Hornets improved to 9-3 overall and 5-1 in STAC games.
"He's handling the ball and getting it to people. He's doing a really good job this year," Southside coach John Fesetch said of Walker.

Elmira Southside boys knock off State ranked Vestal 81-67

Elmira Southside boys continue to impress the area with a win over 17th ranked in New York State Class A Vestal 81-67. This is the 3rd time in less than 3 weeks that Elmira Southside has beat a top 20 ranked team in New York State Class A.

Vestal drops first STAC game
Elmira SS uses second-half runs to hold off Bears
By Kevin Stevens • • Staff Writer • January 14, 2009

ELMIRA - Vestal's unbeaten Southern Tier Athletic Conference basketball record went down with a thud Tuesday night, as senior guard Mike Backer's 27 points led Elmira Southside to an 81-67 victory

Not only were the Golden Bears outplayed most of the way, but they ran into a Southside bunch that converted 17 of 30 first-half field goal attempts on its way to a 43-35 advantage.
Too little defensive resistance on Vestal's part certainly contributed to the Green Hornets' collective hot hand. And twice in the second half when Vestal scrapped back to within a workable margin, assorted breakdowns - coupled with sound play on the hosts' part - widened the gap all over again.
Jeremy Baltz closed with 20 points and Mike Patterson 14 for the Golden Bears (10-2), who dropped to 6-1 in conference play.
"To sum up the night, a lot of what they got was very easy. We struggled, had to work really hard," Vestal coach Ryan Hayes said. "Most everything came nice and easy, free-flowing for them. For us, it was stuck in quicksand, struggling and working uphill."
Up the Bears climbed from an eight-point halftime hole to within 46-43 when Alex Mushalla hit one of two free throws midway through the third quarter. But then came seven consecutive Southside points.
The flurry began with a head-scratcher of a 19-foot shot banked successfully from near the top of the key by Brent McLaurin, continued with a baseline drive for two and a pull-up jump shot in transition by Backer, and concluded with a free throw by Isaac Yorro to make it 53-43 with 2:18 to play in the quarter.
Vestal closed the quarter on a positive note when Richie Sebuharara, wisely inserted into the game with 4.5 seconds to play and his team inbounding under Southside's basket, accepted the inbound pass and dashed the length of the floor for a layup that dropped in just as the buzzer sounded to make it 56-50.
A strong drive down the lane by Baltz pulled Vestal within 60-56 just over two minutes into the fourth quarter. But as they'd done the quarter before, the Green Hornets came up with an answer - this one to all but wrap up the victory.
Baltz, fouled on the drive for his score, missed the subsequent free throw and Backer shot ahead of slowly retreating defenders for a layup attempt that was headed off by a foul. He made the first free throw, missed the second, but converted a layup seven seconds later off a Golden Bears turnover to make it 63-56.
Consecutive field goals on the interior by Southside's Brad Bellinger followed, and a pair of free throws by Backer widened the difference to 69-56 with 3:47 remaining.
Do the math: That was nine consecutive Southside points, and Vestal's deficit was 10 or greater thereafter.
"We didn't play any defense," Hayes said. "Sixty-seven should be enough for us to win all basketball games this year. We got beat on the glass by nine. ...
"One of our keys tonight was execution. A lot of times when you throw that word out there, kids think offensively. We talked about it at halftime, execution is knowing who you're guarding, know his strengths and his weaknesses and know how to get after him.
"I thought overall, our mental execution was very poor tonight."
Backer, Southside's scoring leader with about 17 points per game coming in, made good on 10 of 15 attempts from the field. Three of his successes went for 3-point goals in the first half. Six-foot-five Isaac Yorro closed with 18 points on 8-for-13 shooting.
"They're a scary team, a big team, they're well-coached, they're a smart team," Southside coach Josh Fesetch said of Vestal. "We thought we'd be in for a real rough one tonight, and we were. But our kids were focused and they played very, very well tonight.
"We beat a really good basketball team. Our kids battled, so I was very happy."

Box Score click below

Binghamton Beat Elmira Southside at Binghamton 59-54

Binghamton rallied in the 4th quarter to beat high flying Elmira Southside in a STAC East/West match

Sweet lifts Patriots to victory
Late three breaks tie with Southside
From staff reports • January 7, 2009

Anthony Sweet broke the game's final tie with a three-point goal, helping Binghamton's boys to a 59-54 Southern Tier Athletic Conference basketball victory Tuesday night over visiting Elmira Southside.

Sweet's go-ahead goal came with a shade under two minutes remaining and put the Patriots on top to stay, 54-51.
"This was a good win for us," Pats coach David Springer said. "Southside's obviously a good team. It was close all the way through."
Jimmy Gray's game-high 21 points included four of Binghamton's six three-point goals. Sweet closed with seven points.
Mike Backer's 15 points headed four Southside players with 11 or more.

2008 Josh palmer Coaches for Cancer Tournament Photo's Elmira Southside Boys title game against Newark

Southside boys beat Newark for title at the Josh palmer Coaches for Cancer Tournament

Dec 30-2008

Elmira Southside Boys beat the 5th ranked, Class A team in New York State

to capture their first Coaches for Cancer Tournament Title Game

Elmira Southside knocks of Newark in OT 65-64

"One of the best high school games played in decades was between these to teams

Monday night as Elmira Southside out-played state rank Newark.

For the 2nd time in 2 days Southside boys beat EFA (ranked number 15 in the State and Newark (ranked number 5 in the State Class A)

The Southside boys stood as proud champions at the end of a back-and-forth Josh Palmer Coaches vs. Cancer Elmira Holiday title game Monday night at Southside High.

The Green Hornets battled Newark to a 65-64 overtime victory, taking the lead for good on a Mike Backer driving basket with 31 seconds left.
"It's an emotional win," said Backer, who led the team with 21 points. "This is the first time Southside has won this tournament, so that's big for us. The defense set it up. It was great."
A key defensive play came with less than 2 seconds left in overtime when Isaac Yorro blocked a driving shot by Newark's Tyshun Stephens. Newark inbounded the ball but couldn't get off a shot at the final buzzer.
"This team is resilient," Southside coach John Fesetch said. "They may get behind, but they just keep coming after you."
Yorro had 20 points and 10 rebounds for Southside (7-2), and Brad Bellinger grabbed eight rebounds and added 17 points, including 6-for-6 at the foul line in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Bellinger also took two charging fouls on Newark big man Javon McCrea, who scored 38 points in the Reds' second round win. On Monday he fouled out with two minutes to go in regulation and had only 10 points.
Southside led 16-9 after the first quarter after a 10-2 run led by hot shooting from Backer and Yorro. Newark came right back with a 9-2 run in the second quarter when McCrea scored four points and had two assists. But the Green Hornets outscored the Reds 9-4 over the last two minutes before the half to take a 31-24 lead at intermission.
Newark came back to within 46-43 after three periods behind two 3-pointers from Ollie Smith. In the fourth quarter, Jace Havrilla and Smith each had another 3-pointer to get Newark its first lead since midway through the first period. The lead changed hands four times over the final two minutes of regulation before ending up knotted at 57-57.
In overtime Bellinger, who was named tournament MVP, hit a 4-foot turnaround jumper to tie the score at 59-59, and then he hit two free throws to make it 61-59. Bellinger also guarded 6-foot-6 McCrea and held him in check.
The all-tournament team included Backer and McCrea, along with Corning West's Nick Dobson, Jamestown's Ben Cecchini, Newfield's Stephan Davis, and Liverpool's Jesse Gates. The Sixth Man Award went to Southside's Conner Delaney. Ollie Smith won the Defensive Player Award.

Elmira Southside Boys advance to the title game at the Coaches for Cancer Tournament held at Elmira Southside

Southside boys advance to finals
Green Hornets to play Newark for Coaches vs. Cancer title

Southside knocked off previously unbeaten Elmira Free Academy to advance to today's finals of the Josh Palmer Coaches vs. Cancer Elmira Holiday Tournament at Southside High School

The Green Hornets, who won 58-48, will play Newark in the boys championship. The Reds were a 73-59 winner over Jamestown in the other semifinal. The girls championship game between Horseheads and Waverly precedes the boys finals with a 6 p.m. tip-off.
The Green Hornets overcame a two-point halftime deficit by outscoring EFA 14-4 in the third quarter.
"Our defense just won that game," Southside coach John Fesetch said. "We were a little tentative on offense because of the atmosphere and the crowd. But the defense was great. That's why I love coaching this team."
Semifinals
* Newark 73, Jamestown 59: Javon McCrea put up 38 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead Newark over Jamestown in a semifinal game.
Also for the Reds, Jace Havrilla added 20 points, which included six 3-pointers.
Ben Cecchini topped Jamestown scorers with 15 points. Also for the Red Raiders, Carlos Rivera added 13 points and Jon Barlow had 12.
* Southside 58, EFA 48: Mike Backer had 18 points, including 8-for-11 at the foul line to lead the Southside offense. Also for the Green Hornets (6-2), Brent McLaurin added 16 points and Isaac Yorro had 14 points and 15 rebounds.
Ivan Brooks, in his first game back after missing the early part of the season with an injury, led EFA with 15 points