With its 19-1 record and no. 2 state ranking, the Westhill boys basketball team entered the Section III Class B playoffs as an overwhelming favorite to regain the crown it held for three consecutive years from 2013 to ’15 while also grabbing back-to-back state titles.

Westhill would face Hannibal in Saturday’s opening round of the 17-team sectional tournament. Those other Warriors had beaten Phoenix 56-47 two nights earlier to get this far, but it would get no further as Westhill blasted them 77-35 in an impressive post-season debut.

Steadily, Westhill built a first-quarter lead, but not content with a 17-7 margin, it outscored Hannibal 49-16 over the course of the next two periods, allowing the starters to rest early.

Kameren Jackson led the way with 20 points, eight rebounds and five blocks. Sean Dadey wasn’t far behind, getting 15 points, nine assists and five rebounds as Zach Brown, a force ever since entering the starting lineup in late January, got eight points and four rebounds. John Geer and Antonio Scrimale had seven points apiece.

Now the Warriors awat Tuesday night’s quarterfinal, a tricky assignment against no. 8 seed Institute of Technology Central, whom it beat twice in the regular season, but who also routed General Brown 79-30 in its first-round sectional game. The winner goes to Le Moyne College Saturday for the semifinal against no. 5 seed Cazenovia or no. 13 seed Skaneateles.

A night earlier, Marcellus, holding the no. 6 seed, hosted no. 11 seed South Jefferson in its opening-round game and prevailed,  67-51, over the Spartans, and that score did not come close to reflecting how the Mustangs controlled matters, especially in the late portions of the first half.

Up 14-11 through one period, Marcellus put South Jefferson away during a 22-5 second-quarter blitz that featured tight defense, a rash of bad shots and turnovers from the Spartans that led to a series of Mustangs baskets.

Not letting up, Marcellus extended its lead to 59-31 by the end of the third quarter, and the margin got closer while the starters rested. Nick Femano led with 19 points, while Sam Grattan set a career mark with 15 points and Jarrod Gates added 12 points. Ben Fedorenko had eight points, matching the combined total of two usual stalwarts, Nate Kellar and Tom Fiacchi.

Marcellus needs Kellar and Fiacchi to regain their scoring touch for Tuesday night’s sectional quarterfinal at no. 3 seed Vernon-Verona-Sherrill, who routed Lowville 86-41 in its sectional opener. Whoever wins draws no. 2 seed Chittenango or no. 10 seed Oneida in Saturday’s semifinal, also to be played at Le Moyne.

Before all this, Jordan-Elbridge had an opportunity to join the post-season fray, but in what amounted to a play-in game last Tuesday night,  Pulaski snatched that sectional bid, hanging on to beat the Eagles 52-50.

Though each side faced plenty of pressure, J-E did not handle it well in the first half as the Blue Devils built up a 30-15 lead. But the Eagles settled down and, as the second half wore on, ate into that deficit, nearly catching up during a frantic finish.

Yet despite 18 points from Dale Wagner, Pulaski held on, having five players score seven or more points, led by Lucas Denny (13 points) and Jacob Gray (10 points). On the Eagles’ side, no one other than Wagner hit double figures, though Brandon Wick (eight points), Austin Cassick (seven points) and Aidan Carpenter (six points) made solid contributions.

J-E did play again on Friday and routed Blessed Virgin Mary 67-29. Wagner had 19 points, with Cassick and Jonah Patrick earning 12 points apiece.  Mason Barrigar and Dominic Walborn had eight points apiece as the Eagles finished its season at 7-13.

Solvay was out of playoff contention, but still won its regular-season finale last Tuesday, stopping playoff-bound Phoenix 62-55 by building a 33-23 halftime lead and withstanding the Firebirds’ third-quarter charge before closing it out.

It proved a showcase for the Bearcats’ Brady Preble, who hit on six 3-pointers on his way to a career-best 25 points. Jake Dippold wasn’t quiet, either, earning 19 points in his Solvay basketball finale as Shawn Edwards added 10 points. Jack Allen led Phoenix with 22 points.