Coming off a win over West Genesee earlier in the week, the Fayetteville-Manlius boys basketball team went to Corcoran on Friday, facing a Cougar squad that had won eight of its last 10 games — a run ignited when the Cougars beat the Hornets 92-81 way back on Dec. 9.
The rematch proved to be just as close and competitive, but once again Corcoran came out in front, making all the shots down the stretch to beat F-M 69-60.
Corcoran made the first big push, outscoring the Hornets 11-2 at the end of the first quarter to seize a 19-11 advantage. However, F-M responded with its own 11-3 push at the start of the second quarter to tie it, 22-22, despite Erik Mueller going to the bench with three early fouls.
A long, tight exchange would follow, with F-M answering every time Corcoran wanted to get away. At one point in the third quarter, the Hornets trailed 34-28, but it came back again and even took a brief lead at 40-38 before the Cougars pulled back in front.
Brian Zapisek worked his way to 26 points, With Mike O’Neil adding 14 points and Mueller, despite his foul trouble, adding 13 points. Corcoran countered with junior forward Algeron Torrence pouring in 22 points and senior guard Mike Stenson adding 20 points.
Yet it was Martino Barletta who struck the game’s biggest blow. With 1:30 left, Barletta, who had not scored all night, drained a 3-pointer, doubling Corcoran’s slim lead to six, 62-56. The Hornets never got close again as the Cougars made seven of eight free throws in the last minute to pull clear.
Now with an 8-4 mark, F-M visits Cicero-North Syracuse on Wednesday and is home Saturday night to face Whitesboro.