All of the changes to the boys basketball schedules wrought by various winter storms led to a unique weekend where Fayetteville-Manlius and Christian Brothers Academy would meet Cicero-North Syracuse at home on back-to-back nights.
F-M went first, hosting the Northstars as it came off its second loss of the season to West Genesee earlier in the week. And the Hornets nearly prevailed, too, going to overtime before falling to the Northstars 57-52.
Defense wasn’t a problem for F-M as, overcoming an early 13-7 deficit, it held C-NS in check for the rest of regulation, all while waiting for its own offense to get moving.
What happened was that the Hornets would constantly catch up, as it did forging a 44-44 tie to get to overtime, and then the Northstars would retake the lead, ultimately withstanding F-M’s last-ditch comeback.
Then it was CBA’s turn on Saturday night, with a chance to avenge a Dec. 8 defeat to C-NS. And it would do so, continuing its late-season revival with a 52-46 victory over the Northstars.
An early deficit did not bother the Brothers, who held C-NS to six points in the second quarter and inched in front, 25-23. For the rest of the game, CBA’s defense assured that the Northstars could not put together any sort of sustained run.
Clinging to a one-point lead in the final minute, the Brothers pulled it out with a big basket from Malcolm Jackson and free throws from Avion Othman, with more great defense thrown in, too.
SirVocea Dennis was a start throughout the game, earning a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. Othman finished with 15 points, while Aaron Clendenin netted 13 points and Jackson got eight points. For C-NS, Omar Mere had 17 points and nine rebounds.
Before all this, CBA, who was 1-8 following its “Holy War” defeat to Bishop Ludden Jan. 14 at Le Moyne College, began its revival by going to Jordan-Elbridge two nights later and defeating the Eagles 64-38.
Already in front, the Brothers got away from J-E by outscoring them 34-12 over the course of the second and third quarters as Nick Valenti stepped up with a career-best total of 15 points.
SirVocea Dennis had 14 points, with Aaron Clendenin getting 10 points. Malcolm Jackson (nine points), Mike Hakizimano (eight points) and Ryan Mackenzie (six points) also helped as Dakota Holbrook led the Eagles with 10 points.
Then CBA handled Mexico 69-28 on Friday, building a 37-13 lead by halftime and seeing Clendenin gain 15 points as Valenti put in 11 points. Avion Othman had nine points as Hakizimano again had eight points and Mackenzie once more got six points.
F-M went cold in last Tuesday’s 68-30 defeat to Corcoran, held to just eight points in the entire first half as the Cougars used a 20-3 push through the second quarter to gain control.
Charlie Gadsen, with nine points, and Ahmed Alwahaidy, with seven points, were the only Hornets close to double figures. On Corcoran’s side, D.J. Haynes led with 17 points as Daimarr Miller (13 points), Ryan Kisselstein (11 points) and De’jour Reaves (10 points) helped.
