BRYAN ROLLINS SCORES 23 POINTS, AS GENESEO ROLLS TO VICTORY (PHOTO/ CHRIS GRAHAM)
The Blue Devils got started quickly, as they came out on a 10-0 run to open the game. By the end of the first quarter, the Blue Devils had built a 22-9 lead. Much of that lead was due to junior guard Bryan Rollins scoring 11 points in the quarter.
As the second quarter began, the Blue Devils attacked early again, going on a 10-2 run to open the quarter, and went to halftime up 33-15. The team received good offensive efforts from Rollins and junior forward Jimmy Root.
The Mustangs would close the gap in the third quarter, cutting the deficit to 13, with a strong shooting performance from senior guard Dan Pierce. Pierce hit six three-point field goals, and had a game-high 25 points.
The Blue Devils would come out strong in the fourth quarter, up 45-32, and play strong pressure defense, allowing the Mustangs to score only seven points in the final quarter.
Brian Stout, Geneseo’s head coach, was impressed by his team’s opening day victory.
“It was a good start for us,” Stout said. “The guys played really hard tonight. Our pressure on defense carried us through. We weren’t exactly efficient on offense, we missed quite a few layups and open three pointers, but we attacked the basket hard and turned a lot of defense into offense tonight.”
Stout also spoke about Rollins’ performance, as he ended the night with 23 points.
“Yeah, 23 points, and I think he had nine steals and eight rebounds, he played outstanding tonight and he’s going to be one of our keys this year,” Stout said.
Rollins spoke about performance and dealing with the nerves of opening day.
“Came in thinking about how big a game it was, home opener, thinking about the butterflies and getting rid of the butterflies going in and playing our game,” Rollins said. “It nervous, we play for three weeks in the offseason and then we come in and it’s the first game and the whole school is watching, but after the first quarter comes by we score and we’re up by ten, it settles things.”
Rollins’ performance aside, Stout stressed the pressure defense as a key to the victory.
“We live off our pressure,” Stout said. “We usually like to rotate a few more guys in, but we were missing a few players tonight, Elton Johnson and Ben Kelly to injury and we hope to have those two starters back, but we like to have those seven guys pressure for 32 minutes and we usually force a lot of steals.”
Stout says he has great expectations for his team this season.
“Our goals are high,” he said. “This is a team that was 18-0 on JV a couple years ago. We’re looking for a strong season, make some noise in Livingston County Division III and make some noise in sectionals.”
Geneseo’s next test will come on the road against Avon on Tuesday at 7. Dansville’s next game will be a week from Thursday at home against Wayland Cohocton at 7.