Much attention was given to the Marcellus boys basketball team’s showdown with Hannibal in Saturday’s Coaches vs. Cancer event at LeMoyne College, for good reason.
The Mustangs, no. 6 in the state Class B rankings, were a perfect 12-0. Meanwhile, the Warriors had won 11 straight games since its season-opening loss to Marcellus way back on Dec. 2.
Here, at long last, the Mustangs would get topped, though not without a serious battle.
Marcellus fell to the Warriors 63-56, a far cry from the 57-37 defeat it took during this same event at this same venue a year ago, but still a disappointment. And the poor start had a lot to do with what happened.
Hannibal reeled off the first six points, making head coach Jim Marsh call a timeout less than two minutes into the game. The Warriors had seized a lead it would never relinquish.
Throughout the first half, every time Marcellus appeared ready to make its run, Hannibal answered with a basket or two, and stay well out in front until the teams went to halftime with the Warriors nursing a 31-19 lead.
The deficit got as big as 16 when Hannibal went up 42-26 in the third quarter, yet the Mustangs refused to go away, getting back within 10 (42-32) by the end of that period, poised to make its long-awaited run.
Sure enough, with Zach Barbaro notching eight of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, Marcellus began to eat into that deficit, cutting it to 49-44 early in the period, then getting within four, 53-49, with more than three minutes to play.
But Hannibal guard Jeff LaMont would keep the Warriors in front. He hit a devastating 3-pointer with 2:14 left, then hit on six straight free throws in the final minute to finish with 20 points and secure Hannibal’s 12th straight win.
Scott Cotter helped Barbaro with 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Joe Cornish and Will Nolan each had nine points, with Dan Heil adding eight points. On Hannibal’s side, Derrick Shoults (15 points) and Brenden Nollet (13 points) both had strong games in the paint as the absence of injured Will Fiacchi proved important.
Marcellus will try to start a new winning streak Wednesday night at Cazenovia before going home Friday to face Bishop Grimes.