Dec 23, 2025
Dunkirk’s K’Vion Tell, left, and Malik McCall, right, celebrate during the second half of a Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 1 boys basketball game against the Southwestern Trojans on Monday at Dunkirk High School. OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen
DUNKIRK — Monday night, a message was sent by Dunkirk.
Things are different this season.
The Marauders turned a five-point halftime lead over the Southwestern into a blowout behind a stellar second half to bury the Trojans, 68-44, in a Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 1 boys basketball game on Monday at Dunkirk High School.
“It feels great. We’ve been losing forever, but the change was slowly happening. Now 5-1, we haven’t been that in years. It’s amazing to see,” said Dunkirk guard K’vion Tell.
Southwestern (2-4, 1-2) scored on its first possession of the game within the first 10 seconds of action, but Dunkirk (5-1, 2-1) kept the Trojans scoreless for the next four minutes. Nine straight points for the Marauders built a lead that stood for more than seven minutes.
Southwestern also scored on its first possession of the second quarter, as Roger Markham drove into the lane and dished the ball to Oscar Harris for an easy layup. The Trojans hit two more layups over the next minute of play to cut the deficit to just a point, 18-17, with 6:47 left in the second quarter.
Coming out of a Dunkirk timeout, Tell drilled a 3-pointer to extend Dunkirk’s lead back to four points. Southwestern answered with a 3-pointer of its own, as Colton Waite brought the game to within a point again, 21-20.
Then, with 4:45 left in the first half, Markham hit a floater in the lane for the Trojans’ first lead since the opening bucket of the contest. Tell responded with a layup off the glass for a 23-22 lead, which prompted a Southwestern timeout with 4:16 left in the half. After a Dunkirk layup, Colton Waite fired up the Southwestern bench with a slam dunk to pull back within a point. Dunkirk extended its lead to five points, 29-24, entering the break.
In the blink of an eye, what was a tightly contested game in the first half turned into a very comfortable Dunkirk lead. Dunkirk head coach Sixto Rosario said what he channeled after the break was former Dunkirk girls basketball head coach Ken Ricker’s philosophy of fast-paced, high-energy offense. Ricker, who was in attendance, witnessed the Marauders emulate his philosophy under Rosario’s direction in the second half of Monday’s game.
“What came to mind to me was Coach Ken Ricker. You’ve got to score, you’ve got to work hard, every possession has to be yours — and that’s what we talked about,” Rosario said. “… We work on this stuff at practice, and it’s working now. They came out and played hard, played for their coaches, and I’m proud of them.”
Within the first half of the third quarter, the Marauders pulled ahead 46-30, paced by a 10-0 run that included a layup and-one from Tell off a steal with 4:51 left in the period.
“It was great energy. Our city comes and supports us,” Tell said. “The third quarter was our quarter. We were battling with them, but it was time to flip the switch and change things.”
Tell’s layup through the contact invoked a huge reaction from the student section just a few feet away. A block from Malik McCall later in the period had the same reaction from the rest of the gym.
Rosario said of the Dunkirk crowd, “I just want to go over and sit with them, because they’re here. The crowd is here, and they’ve been a very big part of this program. It’s exciting.”
The Marauders led 52-37 after the third quarter, after outscoring the Trojans 23-13 in the period. The Dunkirk lead grew to 20 on a layup through contact by Jayden Kenner nearly two minutes into the final frame. Tell turned to the student section at his back and celebrated after a catch-and-shoot corner three fell for a 62-39 lead. Dunkirk maintained a sizable advantage the rest of the way to coast to victory.
Just as he has all season long, Tell led Dunkirk’s offense on Monday night. He scored 31 points on the night, including 12 in the third quarter. He also had seven rebounds and three assists.
McCall added 13 points and seven rebounds for the Marauders, in addition to his impressive block. Jayden Kenner had 9 points and eight rebounds; Aries Cheverez had six points — all in the third quarter — along with seven rebounds and seven assists; and Naisaih Rodriguez had 5 points and eight rebounds.
Jalen Edwards led Southwestern with 14 points, while Markham had 12 and Colton Waite had 10. Oscar Harris and Landon Hooks each had 4 points, while no other Trojans scored.
Both Tell and Rosario highlighted the additions to the coaching staff for the team’s success so far this year, including Darius Buchanan, who Tell credited for the team’s conditioning. Another addition to the staff is a former Dunkirk standout Jessica Beehler, who stood beside Rosario on the bench.
“Last year, a lot of teams swept us, but we just beat a great Salamanca team, we beat Southwestern. I feel like any team we play, we can match up with them. I feel like we’re good enough to match up with the best in our section,” said Tell.
Up next, the Marauders face Gowanda next Monday as part of the Westfield Winter Classic tournament at Westfield Academy. Dunkirk will play again the following day at the conclusion of the tournament. The Trojans face Randolph Dec. 30, at 1:30 p.m., at Southwestern High School.
SOUTHWESTERN (44)
Harris 2 0 4, Hooks 2 0 4, Edwards 6 0 14, Charles 0 0 0, Waite 4 0 10, Markham 5 2 12, Stump 0 0 0, Wakeley 0 0 0, Casselman 0 0 0. Totals 19 2 44.
DUNKIRK (68)
Tell 12 3 31, Cheverez 3 0 6, Krystofiak 1 0 2, McCall 4 5 13, Kenner 4 1 9, Rodriguez 1 2 5, McQuiggan 0 0 0, Carr 0 0 0, Sheehan 0 0 0, Bache 1 0 2. Totals 26 10 68.
3-point goals–Edwards 2, Waite 2, Tell 4, Rodriguez.
Southwestern 11 13 13 7 — 44
Dunkirk 18 11 23 16 — 68
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