A combination of gaps in the schedule and the nasty return of winter to Central New York kept the Cicero-North Syracuse girls basketball team from game action for a long time.
In fact, after the Northstars’ road conquest of Fayetteville-Manlius on Jan. 9, it went 17 days before it played again, more than half a month — a rare gap in any season.
Somehow, CNS did not get too rusty — for when it finally returned last Friday night, the Northstars took care of Nottingham, beating the Bulldogs 61-45.
CNS spent the first quarter acclimating itself to full-speed court action again, then erased its modest 14-13 deficit with a solid run to halftime, where it led 30-25.
Nottingham ate into that deficit in the third quarter, but CNS pulled clear in the late going by spreading its attack around and putting four players in double figures.
Nicole Dwyer led with 16 points, including four 3-point field goals. Marybeth Egan was right behind her, with 15 points, while Morgan Nandin earned 12 points and Corissa Quattrini got 10 points. Jamia Martin (15 points) was the Bulldogs’ top scorer.
Then CNS got more rest when Monday’s game against Mynderse Academy (Seneca Falls) was snowed out. The Northstars are set to make up the postponed Jan. 19 game with Auburn on Thursday, just before a Friday trip to Central Square.
