CENTRAL NEW YORK – Though still seeking consistency, there’s little question that eighth-grader Aaliyah Zachery is the driving force for the Bishop Grimes girls basketball team.
Proof of this came again last Monday in the Cobras’ 61-30 romp over Chittenango, a game where Zachery nearly matched the Bears all by herself, pouring in 26 points from seven field goals, a pair of 3-pointers and six successful free throws.
And Zachery wasn’t working alone. Elizabeth Corl stepped up to earn a season-best 12 points, while Kierra Baxter finished with 10 points and Grimes’ defense, as a whole, was sensational, not allowing Chittenango to reach double figures in any single quarter.
Now the Cobras rested until Saturday’s game against its neighbors from East Syracuse Minoa, and Grimes was able to get the best of it, defeating the Spartans 52-43.
Steadily, the Cobras gained a 27-15 edge by halftime, and despite some third-quarter struggles was able to hang on thanks to clutch free-throw shooing as Gia Kinsey had a career-best 17 points, hitting three 3-pointers.
Helping Kinsey out, Olivia Bitz gained 14 points, with Zachery adding 12 points. ESM’s Aniyah Jones led all scorers with 21 points as Sonya Benhassen finished with 13 points.
ESM played Henninger last Tuesday and absorbed a 52-45 defeat to the Black Knights, who jumped out 15-8 in the first quarter and then tried to protect the margin the rest of the way.
Jones did all she could for the Spartans, pouring in 25 points as Leah Chavoustie added seven points. But Henninger’s Sanai Lee had 19 points and four others got at least six points, led by Inese Odom’s nine points.
Then, against Liverpool Thursday night, ESM absorbed a 70-28 defeat, with nearly half the production coming from Jones’ 12 points. A’briyah Cunningham led the Warriors with 24 points.
Fayetteville-Manlius met Baldwinsville for the second time in as many weeks and, despite more points on the board, faced close to the exact same result in a 54-45 defeat.
Having lost to the Bees 49-39 at home seven days earlier, F-M this time suffered from a cold first half where baskets proved elusive and it fell into a 25-17 deficit.
Try as it could, F-M could not make up all the ground in the second half, though Lydia Davidson (13 points), Mia Knuth (11 points) and Taylor Novack (10 poins) all scored in double figures. Five B’ville players had at least six points, with Madison Polky earning 13 points and Olivia Davis earning eight of her 12 points at the free-throw line.
Jamesville-DeWitt, entering the week at 2-1, went to Central Square last Monday and saw the undefeated Redhawks control matters from the start and hand the Red Rams a 61-46 defeat.
Maintaining a quick pace, Central Square leaped to a 19-10 first-quarter lead and extended it to 33-17 by halftime, something J-D was unable to answer the rest of the way.
What proved the difference was that the Rams had two main threats – Ava Sandroni, who got 17 points, and Samantha Wheeler, who had 15 points. However, the Redhawks had three players hit double figures as Natalie Bush had 17 points, Payton St. Clair 16 points and Emerson Widowski 13 points.
Then J-D lost Saturday to Marcellus 51-45, not quite able to overcome the 42-32 margin the Mustangs built through three quarters led by Tenly Baker’s 27 points and Cece Powell’s 19 points. Sandroni still got 16 points for the Rams, with Sadie Withers stepping up to get 13 points and Wheeler adding nine points.
Christian Brothers Academy was humbled 46-26 by reigning sectional Class B champion Cortland last Tuesday night, never scoring more than nine points in any single quarter. Chianna Williams was held to a season-low eight points, while Kendall Mack and Valerosa Gambitta led the Purple Tigers with 10 points apiece.
