For a few days, the Cazenovia boys basketball team had to stew on its first defeat of the season to Bishop Grimes on Dec. 16, a wait made longer by winter weather.
What was supposed to be the Lakers’ battle with Westhill two nights after the Grimes game got pushed back nearly a week, and would follow the game that Cazenovia would play against its neighbors from Chittenango.
For long stretches early in each half, the Bears would find itself able to produce baskets, but ultimately it could not stop the hot-shooting duo of Ryan Romagnoli and Alex Moesch, who carried Cazenovia to a 69-47 victory.
Chittenango got off to a strong start, trading runs with the Lakers and even inching to a 19-18 lead. Yet it tailed off in the second quarter and Cazenovia was able to establish a 35-26 halftime margin.
It wasn’t until the final period that the Lakers could feel safe, only because Romagnoli kept converting from outside. All of Romagnoli’s 27 points sprung from hitting nine 3-pointers.
And the Bears couldn’t concentrate on Romagnoli since Moesch hit four times from beyond the arc to account for half of his 24 points, and A.J. Rothfeld helped, too, earning 13 points.
Much of Chittenango’s attack centered around Ty Kelly, who hit five 3-pointers on his way to 24 points overall. Yet Kelly had no teammate close to his total as Ben Bishop had nine points, with Brian Schermerhorn adding six points.
The Cazenovia-Westhill game was made up last Monday night at Buckley Gym, and though the Lakers led for long stretches, it could not hold on late and took a 52-48 defeat to the Warriors.
Only 1-3 entering the game, Westhill ignored Cazenovia’s no. 18 state Class B ranking and pulled through, overcoming Romagnoli’s 16 points and five rebounds as Moesch added 10 points.
After facing Hannibal this Sunday at SRC Arena, the Lakers are back home on Jan. 3, opening its 2020 slate when it welcomes South Jefferson.
