Bad weather had forced the Skaneateles boys basketball team into a crowded slate in the last week of the regular season, with three games in five days – and it won all of them.
Of those three, none was more impressive than Saturday’s visit to Fulton. Despite the Red Raiders’ 11-6 record and Class A standing, it could not stop a red-hot Lakers offense as it took over in the second quarter and held on for an 88-82 victory.
Right from the start, the pace was furious, and Skaneateles was up to it. Once it went out in front late in the first quarter, it stayed there, especially when it outscored Fulton 27-15 in that second period to get a 44-31 halftime edge.
Even as the Red Raiders tried to catch up, the Lakers continued to produce baskets at a high rate, the lead getting to 69-53 by the time they reached the fourth quarter, when Fulton’s rally fell just short.
Marc Pietropaoli set a career mark with 25 points. Pete Knupp’s 21 points included three 3-pointers and 10 successful free throws, while Colin Foehl had 17 points. Jake Reed got 11 points, Jake Peterson eight points and Zach Blair six points as Fulton lost despite a game-high 29 points from Cody Green.
All of this started with last Tuesday’s game at Solvay, where the Lakers answered a Bearcats barrage with five players scoring in double figures to help produce a tough 70-66 victory.
Trailing 13-12 after one period, the Lakers went in front in the second and led, 33-27, at the break. It had to keep producing, too, because Solvay’s Blake Bagozzi was draining six 3-pointers (and getting 22 points overall) as Jon Scutt connected three times beyond the arc, finishing with 15 points.
No matter what the Bearcats did, though, Skaneateles had an answer – or, to put it more accurately, it had multiple answers.
Peterson worked inside to score a team-high 18 points. Foehl stepped up to get 13 points, one of his best totals of the season, while Knupp and Reed both finished with 12 points, and Pietropaoli added 11 points. The quintet combined to hit 18 free throws, more than twice as many as Solvay’s total of eight.
Facing Altmar-Parish-Williamstown 24 hours later, the Lakers put an end to the Rebels’ hopes of reaching the sectional tournament and unleashed even more scoring capability as it won 86-51.
All though the game, Skaneateles steadily built its lead and maintained a frantic pace, gaining a 45-28 edge by halftime and then pulling further away even though Foehl had just three points.
Knupp earned half of his 24 points through four 3-pointers. Pietropaoli and Reed both converted three times beyond the arc, Pietropaoli earning 15 points and Reed 12 points as Peterson joined the fun with a pair of 3-pointers and 13 points overall.
As if all of that wasn’t enough, two reserves made a dent, too. Bartek Nakwasinski, an exchange student, saw extended minutes and poured in eight points, while Zach Blair joined in and got seven points.
The win over Fulton propelled the Lakers to 14-5 and the no. 5 seed in the Section III Class B playoffs. Skaneateles will host no. 12 seed Holland Patent in Friday night’s opening round, with the winner going to the quarterifnals Tuesday against Cazenovia or Phoenix.
