Just looking at the final score, it would appear that only the Jamesville-DeWitt boys basketball team emerged happy from Friday night’s 77-69 victory over Christian Brothers Academy in the Peppino’s Invitational at SRC Arena.
But while the Red Rams were pleased that it still had the upper hand in its neighborhood rivalry, the Brothers had to feel good about the way it responded to a lopsided start, fighting all the way to the final horn.
This was CBA’s season opener, while J-D had played earlier in the week, falling to Baldwinsville 63-56. Clearly the Red Rams did not want an 0-2 start with most of its starting lineup back from last winter’s Section III Class A title team.
J-D scored the game’s first 10 points, and did not let up from there, ultimately building a 20-3 margin largely on the hot shooting of Payton Shumpert, who scored 13 of his game-high 25 points in the first quarter.
Down 23-8 going to the second period, CBA settled down and began to find its offense. Over the course of the next two quarters, it mostly matched the Rams’ production, and moved within 60-48 early in the final quarter.
Not letting things get too close, J-D built its margin back to 71-54, and would need that cushion since CBA went on a 15-4 run in the final minutes, moving within six before Trey Autry’s pair of free throws finally sealed it.
Preston Shumpert finished with 15 points, with Autry getting 14 points and Matt Cieplicki adding 12 points. Dan Anderson paced CBA with 20 points as Kam Harris earned 14 points and Luke Valenti got 10 points.
Earlier that same night, East Syracuse Minoa began its season against Syracuse Academy of Science and used timely scoring surges to earn a 50-42 victory over the Atoms.
Trailing 12-7 in the first quarter, the Spartans scored the last eight points of the period, including Devin Mascato-Buffaloe’s running 3-pointer at the horn. Then it scored the last four points of the second period, again keeping SAS from pulling away.
Then ESM got the last seven points to break a 33-33 tie and move in front for good. Though it pulled within four, 46-42, in the closing minutes. SAS could not catch up.
Mascato-Buffaloe led ESM throughout every key sequence, ultimately getting 16 points. Forward Nick Peterson had 10 points and was a big presence in the paint on defense as Naiche Cook had eight points, Nick Brown had seven points and Jimmy Ferns added six points.
Moving on to Saturday’s games at the Peppino’s Invitational, Fayetteville-Manlius, beaten 80-46 by Henninger earlier in the week, rebounded in its own showdown with CBA, topping the Brothers 55-50.
Trailing 30-24 at halftime, the Hornets caught up in the third quarter, and a tense exchange followed. CBA made its own surge when Anderson, who finished with 17 points, hit on back-to-back 3-pointers to erase a 46-42 deficit.
Yet F-M answered with five points in a 20-second span to go up 52-48, and held on to that lead the rest of the way, led by Josh Michel, who had 16 points as Ethan Page and Jack Nucerino got nine points apiece. Sam Haas had 13 points for the Brothers.
Right after, Bishop Grimes won its season opener against Schenectady (Section II), the Cobras having to go to overtime to defeat the Patriots 73-71.
Things started well for Grimes, who led 17-7 after one period. Gradually, Schenectady caught up and the game turned into a back-and-forth duel that included several lead changes, especially in the fourth quarter and OT.
Regulation ended 60-60, and the Patriots appeared to get control late in the four-minute extra period, going in front 70-67. But Grimes caught up and tied it again, 71-71, setting up the final drama.
With just three seconds left, A.J. Burnett caught a pass, drove from the left side and converted the go-ahead basket. It proved the game-winner when Schenectady’s winning 3-point attempt bounced off the rim at the horn.
Burnett paced the Cobras with 20 points. Just behind him, Jack Gutchess had 17 points, with Ian Denton adding 16 points. Byam Mugushu got seven points and Deng Mawien had six points.
Away from OCC, ESM improved to 2-0 by romping past Chittenango 58-32. An 18-4 second-quarter burst broke the game open as Cook, with 18 points, led the way, Ferris adding 13 points and Mascato-Buffaloe getting 10 points.
