Hilton cruises to semi-finals behind a well-rounded performance
- David Premyslovsky
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
David Premyslovsky/ Staff Writer
HILTON, N.Y. -- The Hilton Cadets led start to finish in a dominant 69-11 victory over the Wilson Magnet Wildcats in Class AA1 quarterfinal action. The Cadets got out to an absurd 34-0 start to the game after forcing a turnover on the first 10 possessions for the Wildcats. With the win, Hilton sets up a semi-final date with Webster Schroeder, a rematch of last year's tournament in which Webster Schroeder emerged victorious.
Hilton came right out of the gate with an intense full-court press, which prevented Wilson from getting into any sort of offensive rhythm. The Cadets built a 29-0 lead at the end of the first quarter, led by sophomore Amiyah Miles, who scored 13 out of her game-high 15 points in the first, and junior Madison Murphy, who scored seven of her 11 points in the first.
“They’re stepping up, both all-county caliber kids who play both sides of the floor really well. Sky’s the limit for both of them,” said Hilton head Coach Dave Heise on the play of both Murphy and Miles.
In the second, Hilton continued to dominate defensively, holding the Wildcats to just one point. Offensively, it was not as prolific of a quarter for the Cadets, but they were able to build a 39-1 halftime lead.
“We want to make sure we’re doing what we do well and staying true to who we are. Bringing this sectional intensity is a key piece of this,” said Heise on his team's performance to open the game.
“We are encouraged to push ahead and get the lead in the first quarter as that can give us some momentum,” said Murphy on Hilton dominating right out of the gate. “That push can really jump-start the team to get us going for the rest of the game,” added Miles.
To start the third quarter, sophomore Marlie Wilson scored the first field goal of the game for the Wildcats, followed by a 3-point play by junior Kimora Hampton. These ended up being the only baskets of the quarter, though, for the Wildcats, as Hilton would continue to control the game and lead 50-6 going into the fourth.
With the game already wrapped up, the Cadets caught fire from deep in the fourth quarter. Ending the night with three consecutive three-pointers from eighth grader Avery Anne, senior Paige Dean, and freshman Selah Spry. The Cadets finished the game with 10 individual scorers, including Avery Anne and Allison Bell; Junior varsity players called up to the roster for sectionals.
“Our depth is crazy. We work hard every day in practice; we push each other no matter what,” said Murphy on the quality of the Hilton roster.
Amiyah Miles led all scorers with 15 points, followed by Madison Murphy with 11. Also scoring for the Cadets included Paige Dean and Selah Spry, each with nine; Jayleigh Esposito had eight, Avery Anne recorded six, Allison Starwald and Samantha Korzenieski scored four, Allison Bell contributed two, and Taylor Anne added one for Hilton.
Scorers for the Wildcats included Marlie Wilson with seven, Kimora Hampton added three, and Bra’asia Lucas had one. The Wildcats finish the year with a record of 11-10.
With the victory, the Cadets improve to 15-6 and advance to the Class AA1 semi-finals, where they will take on the Webster Schroeder Warriors.
“Always stay calm; we can get through anything as long as we have a calm, clear mind,” said Miles on an early preview for the matchup with Webster Schroeder. “Just go in with confidence, we’re a good team, and if we play well, we’ll have great results,” added Murphy, who was a member of the Hilton team that made a run to the state tournament final in 2024.
That game is scheduled for Monday, March 2, at Gates Chili High School with tip-off set for 6 p.m.
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