CENTRAL NEW YORK – Little has changed for the Cazenovia girls basketball team as wins in the new year remained elusive against top-flight competition.
Hamilton, one of the favorites in the Class C ranks, met the Lakers last Monday night and decided matters early, prevailing by a score of 56-29.
All the Emerald Knights did in the first quarter was jump out 24-3, the margin growing to 34-9 by halftime. Reagan Hope led Hamilton with 20 points, seven rebounds and four steals, with Lindsey Speer doing it all thanks to 15 points, eight assists, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
Nearly half the Lakers’ production came from Bess Johnson, who had 14 points, and most of the rest of it came from Ella Baker, who finished with nine points.
Off until Friday night, Cazenovia then took on Phoenix, who was no. 10 in the state in Class B and was fired up to play after seeing a six-game win streak halted by Bishop Ludden earlier in the week.
And for most of the evening, the Lakers proved quite competitive, only to pay for a slow start in a 50-40 defeat to the Firebirds.
All that Cazenovia (2-8) could manage in the first quarter was three points. And though it recovered and only trailed by four, 22-18, at halftime, it could not quite match Phoenix’s production throughout the second half.
Leading all scorers, Baker hit on three 3-pointers and got 15 points overall. Johnson had nine points, with Hayden Bubble adding seven points and Avaya Weismore five points. Six Firebirds had five or more points for its well-balanced attack, none more than Lyla Duskee’s total of 13 points.
Chittenango was just 1-7 going into last Wednesday night’s game against Hannibal, but earned its second victory of the season when it pulled out a 34-33 decision in the closing seconds.
Though the attack was far from consistent, Abby Scheidelman still finished with 15 points, helped by Dominique Brown, who earned nine points. Riley Somers led Hannibal with 12 points.
