Other than a one-year hiatus – after the 1994-1995 basketball season, The Evening Sun has named its basketball all-stars en masse. In other words, if a particular player had an exceptional season within his or her league, we honored that player with a selection to our postseason hoops team.
For the first time, we undertook the process of breaking down the talent across the county, and naming a first team, a second team, and honorable mention selections – a break from our yearly tradition. The second team and honorable mention players were already announced in the Wednesday, March 24 edition, and today, we unveil who we believe are the top players in the area – regardless of their school’s size or the conference that their team plays in.
Breaking it down in simple terms: If The Evening Sun was to put together an all-star team from the basketball players we cover throughout the season, these young men and women would get the starting nod.
We do have one minor anomaly to our selection process this season. Our girls’ team actually has six players instead of five. Looking down the line for Sherburne-Earlville’s ladies, two of its players – each of whom earned co-MVP honors in their league – had virtually identical statistics up and down the line, so we have paired those two as a package deal.
The aim of this year’s selection process was to develop exclusivity amongst the players. Year in and year out, we have named anywhere from 10 to 12 players as first-team Evening Sun All-Stars. The truth, though, is that only five of those players would actually start a real basketball game.
We made it a point this season to view every basketball team in the area – and its players – at least one time (with the exception of Otselic Valley’s girls), and several teams and players we viewed multiple times. After much thought and analysis, the players listed below, we believe, are our circulation area’s most deserving first-team all-stars for the 2009-2010 basketball season.

–––––

Players are listed alphabetically:

Boys

Sean Boise, sr. 6-foot-1, Sherburne-Earlville
Boise averaged in double figures scoring all three of his seasons for the Marauders, and his 20.0 points per game average this season led all Chenango County players. He finished with 854 points over his three-year career, and was a co-Center State Conference Division II MVP.
“He was just a great teammate, and not just a scorer,” said S-E head coach Kevin Vibbard. “If you’re open, he’ll get you the ball. He didn’t force things and was a very good passer. He was just a complete offensive player. He can shoot, penetrate, and was clearly a great finisher.”
Boise was the model of efficiency on his career-best scoring night. On his way to a 34-point night in a win over highly regarded opponent Westmoreland, Boise took just 16 shots from the field – making 10 – and went to the foul line 16 times as well, nailing 11. He scored 20 points or more in seven out of eight games in one stretch, and had nine 20-point games. Not once did a team hold the prolific scoring Boise under 12 points. “I’m glad he made the decision to stick with basketball as a freshman, because he’s probably the best bowler in the school district, too,” Vibbard said.

Richie Bonney, sr., 6-foot-5, Norwich
Bonney came up through the Norwich basketball system as an outside shooting presence. As the biggest player on the NHS team this season, he developed an inside game to complement his guard-like skills, and proved one of the most difficult matchups in the Southern Tier Athletic Conference. “Richie had one of the most outstanding individual seasons I have ever seen a player accomplish, and he did it within the realm of the team concept,” said Norwich coach Mark Abbott.
Bonney was second in the area in scoring at 17.5 points per game, led Norwich with 12.1 rebounds, and made 44 percent of his three-point attempts (21-for-48), while leading all Norwich starters in overall field goal percentage at 50.2 percent. Among two-year NHS players, his 561 points are second all-time under Abbott’s 24-year stewardship, and his 385 rebounds are the best two-year total.
Bonney scored 20 points or more eight times reaching a career-high 34 in a win over Chenango Forks. He also led Norwich in blocked shots, and averaged around 1.7 steals per game. Most impressively, he had 18 double-doubles (points and rebounds), grabbing a high of 18 boards on two occasions. “I look at where Richie is now from where he was at the beginning of his junior year, and the improvements in all phases of the game are astounding,” Abbott said.

Josh Borfitz, sr., 6-foot-1, Norwich
Borfitz joined the Tornado’s varsity as a sophomore spot-up sharpshooter, a one-trick pony so to speak. By his coach’s account, he improved in all areas of the game to become a complete basketball player on both ends of the floor.
He was among the area’s leaders in scoring with 14.4 points per game, he led with 59 three-pointers – the third highest single-season total for Norwich – and was among the team leaders on Chenango County’s best team in nearly every category. He was second on the Tornado in rebounding, second in assists, and averaged 1.4 steals per game. “Josh was the ‘circled player’ on every opponent’s game plan when they defended us,” Abbott said. “He was an extremely difficult cover because of his quick release and ability to find the open spots on the floor.”
Borfitz made 41 percent of his three-point attempts, shot 77.3 percent from the foul line, and inside the three-point arc, connected on nearly 54 percent of his shot attempts. The senior lefty was in double figures 14 times reaching a career-high of 30 points against Owego. “You don’t replace a Josh Borfitz, you just marvel at what he has accomplished, and thank him for what he brought to your program,” Abbott said.

Derek Hughes, sr., 6-foot, Norwich
If you’re assessment of a player’s value on a team begins with points scored, then you would totally miss the boat with Hughes. The epitome of an unselfish player, Hughes manned Norwich’s high-powered offense as its point guard, and probably had the ball in his hands more than any other guard in the area. He turned in a remarkable 214 assists while turning it over just 53 times in 22 games against the stiffest opposition of any county team. “It was nerve-wracking to not have Derek on the floor,” Abbott said. “He makes such good decisions, and the game seems to really slow down for him, even at hectic times.”
Hughes ability to find the open man allowed fellow all-stars Bonney and Borfitz to flourish, as well as exceptional spot-up shooter, Casey Edwards. Hughes averaged 9.7 assists per game, and his season total is the second highest in Abbott’s 24-year coaching tenure. He also had three steals per game, and drew 12 offensive charges, the second best in school history. Hughes had 12 double-digit assist games with a high of 18 – one off the school record. “Derek was definitely our coach out on the floor – at both ends,” Abbott said. “He has such a great understanding of the game, and the unique ability to see plays before they develop.”

Cory Seiler, sr., 6-foot, Oxford
More than the 730 points he scored over his three-year varsity career with Oxford, Seiler will be best remembered as a winner. During his tenure on the Blackhawks’ varsity roster, Seiler played on three straight unbeaten MAC Division II championship teams, and back-to-back Midstate Athletic Conference overall champions. “He’s such a fierce competitor and he hates to lose,” said Oxford head coach Tim Davis. “He carried a lot of the team’s load on his shoulders.”
Seiler was third among Evening Sun players in scoring averaging a career-best 16.2 points per game. He was in double figures scoring in all but the final game of the season, and had 20 or more points three times. He was also an all-around player averaging over six rebounds, around six assists, and over four steals per game. For the regular season, he was named the MAC Division II Most Valuable Player. “I think one of the best examples of the way Cory plays was the senior all-star game,” Davis said. “To some, it doesn’t mean anything, but in that game, Cory didn’t score a point. Instead, he was passing the ball to people who were his opponents for three years. This was his final shining moment in our league, and instead of trying to score, he was giving the ball up and getting a lot of assists.”

–––

Girls

Caitlynn Adams, jr. 5-foot-8, Sherburne-Earlville
Bridget Irwin, jr. 5-foot-7, Sherburne-Earlville
Sherburne-Earlville’s team-leading scorers have extremely different games on the basketball floor, but each generated nearly identical results on the stat sheets. Their play throughout the season led S-E to a Center State Conference division title, and the twosome’s play earned them co-MVP honors as well.
“Caitlynn seems to have that knack of coming up with big plays at big times,” said S-E coach Karen Mulligan. “A lot of stuff she does, you can’t coach. She has great anticipation, and gets her hands on a lot of balls.”
Irwin, by contrast, was the even-handed, calming, consistent presence on the floor for the Marauders. “She has the same demeanor all the time, and you can’t tell if she is frustrated,” Mulligan said. “She’s not a real flashy player, but she works hard on the boards. Defensively, she can guard anyone, and people always talk about her tenacity.”
Just how close were Adams and Irwin statistically? Adams averaged 12.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.9 steals, and 2.4 assists. Irwin: Try 12.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.8 steals, and 2.5 assists. The duo were nearly identical, and the only difference was Adams’ ability to block shots. In that facet, she blocked 1.8 shots per game.
Adams’ best game came in the S-E Tournament championship game where she scored 30 points against Bainbridge-Guilford en route to tournament MVP honors. Irwin wasn’t too shabby in that game either scoring 16 points, pulled down 14 rebounds, and just missed a triple-double as she doled out nine assists.
Adams proved explosive on offense with multiple big-scoring games, while Irwin finished in the 10- to 14-point scoring ranged 13 times in 21 games. The two proved perfect complements to each other’s talents, and best of all, each returns to the Marauders next year for their senior season.

Alyshia Crawford, sr., 5-foot-7, Oxford
Crawford joined teammate Witchella as one of the most dynamic one-two punches in Chenango County, and perhaps the entire Midstate Athletic Conference. While Witchella ate up teams from the inside, Crawford directed the Oxford offense as its point guard.
Naturally a shooting guard, Crawford took to the primary ballhandler’s role with gusto, and led her team in assists, and was second in steals at 2.3 per game. She was also Oxford’s best outside shooter and three-point threat She canned about one-third of her three-point attempts finishing with 20 treys, and averaged 10.6 points per game, second on the 16-5 Blackhawks. “Alyshia is just one of those very good all-around athletes,” Palmer said. “She is also very strong and could guard people much bigger than her. She knows the game, and nobody is in the gym more than Alyshia. If I hear a ball bouncing in the gym, odds are, it’s Alyshia.”
Crawford joined Witchella as a first team MAC all-star, and was in double figures scoring 10 times reaching a season-high of 21 in a victory over Harpursville. She was between six and 15 points in all but two games this season, and in those two contests, she had her two highest scoring outings of the season.

Hannah Runyon, jr. 5-foot-9, Norwich
Runyon was well on her way to having one of the most spectacular individual seasons for the Tornado in recent memory. After 11 games, she led Norwich in every offensive statistical category until a season-ending shoulder injury sidelined her for the remainder of the campaign. During her time on the floor, she clearly established herself as a first-team all-star. “It’s just me, and I may be biased, but I personally think she was by far the best player in the county this year,” said Norwich first-year coach Josh Bennett.
The Southern Tier Athletic Conference thought so, too, as she was named a Central/East Division All-Conference pick. “I didn’t have to do much fighting for that one,” Bennett said.
As the team’s point guard, she led Norwich with 17.4 points per game, she led in assists, rebounding (11 per game), and hit 79 percent of her free throw attempts. She was also an accurate three-point shooter connecting on 17, and was on pace for well over 30 on the season. “We really had to change almost everything we do after Hannah went down,” Bennett said. “She has a huge court presence and a great feel for the game.”
Before Runyon’s shoulder injury (bone chips and three torn shoulder ligaments), the Tornado girls averaged just under 60 points per game on offense, number one in the area. With Runyon out, Norwich averaged 38 points per game and went over 50 points just once. “The way she was able to contribute to our team in every area of the game was just tremendous,” Bennett said.

Liz Wentlent, sr. 5-foot-9, Greene
Amazingly, in her five-year career as a Greene player – the last four as a starter – it was only this season that Wentlent averaged over 10 points per game. It’s not that she wasn’t capable of putting up bigger numbers, it’s that she would rather distribute the ball to her teammates, play good defense, and take high percentage shots. She did all of that this year, and added scoring more points into the mix. She led the Trojans with 13.3 points per game, while also finishing atop the team statistics in rebounding, assists, and steals. “She’s a tough girl, and she plays the game the right way,” said Greene coach Dave Gorton, who piloted Greene to a state semifinals appearance a year ago with Wentlent at the point. “Lizzy has been a huge asset to our program. She’s so unselfish, and it’s nice to find someone who really believes in ‘we’ rather than ‘me.’ She would help just about anybody’s team (in Section IV) because she can do anything.”
A first-team MAC all-star, Wentlent topped 20 points a pair of times reaching a season-high of 22 against Delhi.

Haley Witchella, jr., 5-foot-11, Oxford
Witchella was again one of the most dominant inside players in the Midstate Athletic Conference, and now a two-time first team division two all-star. She was one of only two girls in Chenango County to reach double figures scoring in all of her team’s games this season, and displayed her true talents and abilities against the best opposition. Versus Walton in a sectional playoff win, she had 15 points, nine rebounds, nine steals, and four blocked shots. Earlier in the season, she had 19 points, 12 rebounds, and eight blocks in a victory over eventual MAC champion Harpursville, and against Section IV Class C champion Tioga – who finished as runner-up in the state tournament – Witchella was particularly effective scoring 21 points and pulling down 15 points against the best Class C team in Central New York. “I have to assume that when teams spoke of stopping us, the conversation started with Haley,” said Oxford coach Chris Palmer. “She worked hard in the offseason and is still improving. She was there for us, game in, and game out.”
For the season, she averaged 9.3 rebounds, 3.4 steals, and 2.7 blocks to go with her 14.8 scoring average. She also led all Oxford players in shooting percentage.