Through the early portion of its season, the Chittenango boys basketball team’s biggest issue remained an inability to score enough to scare the opposition.
That remained a problem in last Tuesday night’s game against Fulton, where the Bears were close all night, but soon found its offensive struggles too much to overcome in a 54-40 loss to the Red Raiders.
What made the defeat more frustrating was the fact that, at one point, Chittenango looked ready to break out against a well-tested Fulton squad whose 3-4 mark includes losses to powers like Jamesville-DeWitt and Bishop Ludden.
By outscoring the Red Raiders 17-10 in the second quarter, the Bears seized a 23-18 lead and a chance to really turn things around.
Just as quickly, though, Fulton moved back in front in the third quarter, then shut down Chittenango as it held the hosts to just six points in the entire final period.
Cavanaugh Chaires, with 10 points, was the lone Chittenango player to score in double figures, though Mike Major came close with nine points. Rob Jackowski led Fulton’s rally with 21 points. As Gary Kemp (11 points) and Mark Musumeci (10 points) helped out.
Now the Bears, at 1-5, head to its own Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament, where it will meet Waterloo in Monday night’s opening round, just after Canastota faces Bishop Grimes. Both the consolation and championship games came on Tuesday night. Action begins each night at 5:30.
