On the last Friday and Saturday of December, the Skaneateles boys basketball team kept itself undefeated and won its own holiday tournament.
Having moved up to no. 10 in the state Class B rankings in the wake of its 5-0 start, the Lakers made it six in a row in Friday’s opening round, prevailing 57-44 over Cato-Meridian.
Stifling defense more than made up for an uneven attack as Skaneateles gained a 37-20 lead on the Blue Devils through three quarters.
And for quite a while, Nate Fouts carried the Lakers, his total of 26 points nearly half his team’s output. Jack Whirtley, with 11 points, helped out, as did Tyler DelFavero, who got six points.
It got tougher in Saturday’s final, Skaneateles challenged by Seneca Falls’ Mynderse Academy, who had beat Onondaga 61-42. And it proved quite stressful, but again the Lakers pulled through, rallying to beat the Blue Devils 57-52.
Little went right in the first half for Skaneateles, who fell behind 30-21 by intermission, only to turn it all around with a 22-10 third-quarter surge.
Hanging on down the stretch, the Lakers saw Fouts pour in 22 points, nine of them free throws. DelFavero had 11 points, with Nick Wamp getting 10 points and Whirtley joining Fouts on the All-Tournament team.
As this went on, Bishop Ludden brought a no. 21 state Class AA rankings and undefeated record into its annual Rosemary Corcoran Holiday Tournament.
It all led to Saturday night’s championship game between the 6-0 Gaelic Knights and 4-2 Corcoran, a classic battle that would go in the Cougars’ favor as, by a score of 78-67, Ludden took its first defeat of the season.
The quick face favored Corcoran, who built a 37-27 advantage by halftime. That margin kept growing in the third quarter with the Cougars spreading out its productio.
Ludden concentrated on De’Jour Reaves, but Corcoran’s 1,000-point scorer still managed 17 to go with 12 rebounds and four assists as Arthur Williams led with 19 points, Dewayne Young had 14 points and Jae’son Gillard had 11 points.
In defeat, the Gaelic Knights saw Mykell Kaigler lead with 18 points. Monte Johnson, with 15 points, was close behind, Jarin Beauford adding 13 points and Evan Habarek getting seven points.
A night earlier, Ludden faced LaSalle Academy (New York City) in the first round, and used the occasion to reunite members of the 1994 state Class B championship team on the 25-year anniversary of their title run.
Perhaps inspired by their presence, the Gaelic Knights beat LaSalle 56-49, doing so in a tense, close affair where it trailed 36-35 through three quarters before taking the lead in the final minutes.
Kaigler, with 12 points, led a well-balanced Ludden attack. Monte Johnson and Nazier Kinsey each had 11 points, with Jarin Beauford getting 10 points and Grant Baker adding nine points.
Corcoran beat Buffalo’s Cardinal O’Hara 79-72 in the other opening-round game, led by Reaves’ 33 points and 15 rebounds.
Solvay took part in Chittenango’s holiday tournament and, in Sunday’s opening round, defeated Oneida 56-44, the Bearcats gradually pulling away from the Indians in the second half.
Justin Scott picked up 16 points, hitting on a trio of 3-pointers. Jaimen Bliss earned 13 points, with Brock Bagozzi earning eight points as Josh Florczyk and Antonio Gonzalez had six points apiece.
The final on Monday pitted Solvay against host Chittenango, and it turned into a lopsided affair, the Bearcats stifling on defense and hammering the Bears 59-27.
Chittenango managed just eight field goals, and no one scored more than Jacob Dawkins’ total of six points.
In addition to the way it shut down the Bears, Solvay had Bagozzi pour in 20 points to earn tournament MVP honors, with Scott adding 11 points and Bliss getting eight points.
