Between a laundry list of fouls, a superb effort from Marquis Gilbert and even a question about the score of the game, the Liverpool boys basketball team had a lot to overcome in last Tuesday night’s season opener at Corcoran.
Somehow, the Warriors navigated through these waters and, with well-timed big plays down the stretch, edged past the Cougars 83-82 when Corcoran settled for a lay-up in the final seconds when a 3-point basket may have forced overtime – and that was just the start of a terrific opening week on Liverpool’s part.
From a 10-10 team in 2013-14 that lost in the Section III Class AA quarterfinal to Fayetteville-Manlius, head coach Matt Jacob faced plenty of roster turnover, from graduating seniors like Caleb Taylor to junior Jaydakis Scott not playing this season as he concentrates on football.
But the new-look Warriors roster, with no player taller than 6-foot-4, did not mind getting into a sprint with Corcoran, trading baskets through a wild, high-scoring first half before grabbing a 53-44 lead midway through the third quarter.
Corcoran countered with a 16-3 run to close the period, led by Gilbert, who would earn 10 of his game-high 31 points in that frame. By the time they reached the early portion of the final period, Liverpool trailed, 69-60.
Now it was the Warriors’ turn to rally, though, and it chipped away at the margin until Will Cutler’s 3-pointer with less than a minute to play put Liverpool in front, 80-78.
That was the first of a trio of big plays that decided the outcome. The second came after Corcoran tied it again, 80-80, on a pair of Lashondre Jordan free throws. Working the ball to the baseline, the Warriors found Sumit Singh, who hadn’t scored a basket since the first quarter. Singh hit an open jumper with 25 seconds left.
Now up 82-80, Liverpool, whose defense had struggled all night, made the one play it needed, Matt Hunter taking a charge with 9.9 seconds to play. Moments later, Tyler Sullivan hit a free throw, and that proved the winning point when the Warriors’ defense twice kept Corcoran from an open 3-point look as the clock ran out.
All told, Sullivan had 21 points, while Cutler earned 19 points. Freshman Naz Johnson made an impressive varsity debut, earning 15 points as Hunter got to 11 points and Singh seven points.
Despite all of its production, only Gilbert and Romello Braxtron (15 points) reached double figures for Corcoran, who had two players foul out. The Warriors took 50 free throws for the night, making 31 of them for a 62 percent rate.
From there, the Warriors traveled to the Cataract Classic in Niagara Falls, which began Friday night against Buffalo’s Cardinal O’Hara, another high-scoring affair that, again, Liverpool would pull out, winning by a 70-64 margin over the Hawks.
Just as in the Corcoran game, points were exchanged throughout a tight first half. The Warriors trailed, 35-33, at the break, but then inched out in the third quarter and would hold off all of O’Hara’s charges down the stretch.
This was a tremendous display of depth from Liverpool, who saw 12 players record at least one field goal. Sullivan had his second straight 21-point outing, plus seven rebounds and seven assists, while Cutler gained 10 points and seven rebounds. Johnson had eight points and eight rebounds, and Singh contributed seven points.
On Saturday afternoon, Liverpool faced East Aurora, from the Section VI ranks, and would emerge as the top team in its division, rolling past the Blue Devils 70-48.
East Aurora led, 21-20, through one period, but all of that disappeared when the Warriors outscored the Blue Devils 20-5 in the second quarter to take charge.
Pulling away from there, Liverpool saw Sullivan, named as tournament MVP, get 12 points and eight assists, though it was Hunter leading the way with 14 points and seven rebounds. Once again, 12 different players got on the scoresheet, with Will Cutler picking up seven points and Nate Cutler, Joe Scro and Eric Meile adding six points apiece.
The schedule is light for Liverpool in the next two weeks, with just two games – Thursday night’s visit to Central Square, followed by a Dec. 19 trip to Nottingham.
