They filled Buckley Gym, both hometown supporters of the Cazenovia boys basketball team and a large visiting contingent from Jordan-Elbridge, celebrating that program’s best season in years.
The occasion was Friday’s opening-round game of the Section III Class B playoffs, where the no. 8 seed Lakers and no. 9 seed Eagles entertained and frayed on everyone’s nerves until a late surge allowed Cazenovia to prevail 58-51.
Entering the sectional tournament, Cazenovia was coming off back-to-back defeats to Skaneateles and Homer (in triple overtime) earlier in the week, but had won nine in a row before that brief skid.
Way back on Nov. 28 in the season opener, the Lakers had beaten J-E 58-42, but the Eagles had vastly improved since that point, putting together its own seven-game win streak in January and finishing the regular season 13-7 overall.
And J-E wasn’t fazed when Cazenovia jumped out to a 19-10 first-quarter lead in the playoff rematch. Instead, the Eagles clamped down and, controlling the second period, roared out in front 27-26 by halftime.
For most of the third quarter, it would go back and forth, but the Lakers inched back in front 40-37 just before the period ended on a timely basket and free throw from Thomas Bragg.
But they were still tied, 48-48, when Drew Johnson made a basket, drew a foul, converted the ensuing free throw. When Dan Kent’s 3-point shot found the net, Cazenovia suddenly led 54-48.
Though the Eagles cut the margin to 54-51 in the final minute, free throws sealed the win for the Lakers as Johnson and Bragg led the way with 21 points apiece. Kent and Kevin Stalder each got six points as Jeremiah Sparks (16 points) and Aidan Carpenter (14 points) led J-E’s effort.
There wasn’t as much drama up the road at Chittenango, where the no. 3 seed Bears, trying at least to match last year’s sectional finals run, got off to a strong start in this sectional tournament, handling no. 14 seed Institute of Technology Central 66-45.
These teams had met four days earlier, and it was a tight one, Chittenango prevailing 60-52. The Bears wanted to make sure the second encounter wasn’t as close.
That meant displaying an airtight defense that held ITC to six points in the first quarter, and was just as strong in the third quarter while Chittenango caught fire on the other end, going on a decisive 25-7 run.
Zach Falkenburg and Dylan Voutsinas both finished with 19 points, helped by Matt Lanphear, whose trio of 3-pointers was part of a 13-point effort. Paul Wood added eight points as Angel Gomez led ITC with 15 points.
In Tuesday’s sectional quarterfinal, Chittenango would host no. 6 feed Lowville, who ousted Phoenix in the first round. The winner would get Vernon-Verona-Sherrill or General Brown in the semifinals Saturday at Onondaga Community College’s SRC Arena.
Meanwhile, Cazenovia faces the bigger test, trying to upend top-seeded, defending sectional and state champion Westhill with a berth in the semifinals against Homer or Oneida at stake.
While the Lakers did beat the Warriors 60-54 on Jan. 18 at Buckley Gym, it came without Westhill’s leading scorer, Sean Dadey, in the lineup. Dadey is back now, having put in 21 points in his team’s first-round playoff win over Skaneateles on Saturday.
