Narrow wins over West Genesee and Bishop Kearney in key early-season tests had shown, once again, how tough the Jamesville-DeWitt girls basketball team could get when challenged.
Now, as Salt City Athletic Conference Empire division play started, the Red Rams faced its first key road test when it went to Oswego last Friday night and mostly showcased its defense in a 57-25 victory over the Buccaneers.
J-D held Oswego to three points in the first quarter and two points in the third quarter. Those long stretches of empty possessions allowed the Rams to patiently wait for baskets as Meg Hair got 17 points, with Gabby Stickle adding 11 points. Jamie Boeheim had eight points and Sydney Baker got six points.
Bishop Grimes is undefeated, too, and moved to 4-0 on the season last Thursday night, jumping all over visiting Cazenovia in a decisive first quarter that had much to do with the Cobras’ eventual 63-42 victory.
All through that opening period, the Lakers struggled to get much going, and its string of mistakes all seemed to lead to baskets on the other end, Grimes not letting up until it had built a 22-5 lead.
To its credit, the Lakers outscored the Cobras 28-26 in the second and third periods as Lindsey Lawson dominated in the paint, earning 22 points. But no other Cazenovia player had more than the six points from Hannah Matteson.
Grimes also had a go-to player as Abby Wilkinson finished with 23 points, but she had a bit more help as Sarah Snavlin got 11 points, with Maria Naylor and Jenna Sloan adding nine points apiece. Rhonee Shea Pal had six points as Bri Squier was held to five points.
Fayetteville-Manlius is, of course, part of the SCAC Metro division, and in its league opener the Hornets went to Corcoran and steadily worked its way to a 47-29 win over the Cougars.
Having gained a 28-19 halftime lead, F-M overcame a third-quarter slump by limiting Corcoran to just two points in that frame. Then it got away with a well-balanced attack.
Lily Fish, Alexandra Vinci and Alexis Schneider each finished with 10 points, with Lexie Roe close behind them as she got eight points and Lexy Gray had six points.
This followed Thursday’s game between F-M and East Syracuse Minoa, postponed for two straight days by snow, but once it was held the Hornets shut down the Spartans and prevailed 58-11.
Other than a single field goal in the first quarter, F-M blanked ESM in the first half, the margin growing to 35-2 as the Spartans managed just four field goals all night.
Roe and Schneider both outscored the entire ESM roster, Roe setting a new career mark with 19 points, including three 3-pointers, and Schneider adding 13 points. Vinci had eight points and Rebecca Sherwood got six points.
Having lost to F-M on Dec. 8, Christian Brothers Academy rebounded last Monday night at ITC/Fowler, breezing to a 63-28 victory as its defense held the opposition to just 10 points in the first half.
Meanwhile, 11 different players got on the scoreboard for the Brothers, led by Brooke Jarvis, who poured in 14 points. Emily Hall had 11 points, with Maura Claire Conan getting nine points and Olivia Carni adding eight points.
It was even more lopsided on Thursday night as CBA thrashed Mexico 77-13, the Brothers doing whatever it wanted on the way to a 39-6 halftime edge.
Remarkably, all 13 players that saw action for CBA got at least one field goal. Jarvis led with 16 points, while Kaily Campbell had 10 points. Victoria Hall and Skye Ryan each had nine points as Mary Reith had eight points and Iris Vinal got six points.
