Going into the Fulton Tournament, the Marcellus girls basketball team was still fuming about how it let a great opportunity at moving up the OHSL Liberty division standings get away in a two-point loss to Bishop Ludden on Dec. 23.
With that as a backdrop, the Mustangs traveled north to Fulton — and tore into its neighbors from West Genesee in Monday afternoon’s opening round, turning things around in the second quarter to beat the Wildcats 60-45.
Carrying its own solid 4-3 mark against Class AA opposition, WG appeared to be in good shape when it fought to a 12-8 first-quarter lead.
All that changed, though, in the ensuing eight minutes. On one end, the Mustangs could not miss, a steady stream of baskets punctuated by a defense that did not let the Wildcats do much.
Put it all together, and Marcellus had made a 23-6 run. Despite all this, WG recovered in the third quarter, closing within 41-36, before the Mustangs used strong free-throw shooting in the final period to get away for good.
Melissa Lee led with 15 points, but Marie Temara (14 points) was right behind and Megan Tock added 12 points to the Mustangs’ cause. Christa Rockburn contributed seven points.
The Wildcats could not match that production, as only Deanna Apps, with 14 points, reached double figures. Kailey Ritch and Katie Kolinski had six points apiece.
In Tuesday’s action, Marcellus met host Fulton (who beat Canton 66-52) in the finals and continued to roll, beating the Red Raiders 57-46.
Much of the game was an even fight — but only after a first quarter where Marcellus was close to flawless.
Getting open looks on one end and playing stifling defense on the other, the Mustangs tore up Fulton and raced to a 21-4 lead. Whatever the Red Raiders tried to do the rest of the night, it could not overcome that huge early margin.
Temara, with her 15 points, garnered tournament MVP honors, but she had lots of help. Rockburn improved to nine points, while Lee and Brissette got seven points apiece and Beth Abbott added six points.
WG, meanwhile, took its shot at Canton in the consolation game and had, by far, its highest point total of the season in an 87-52 romp.
What was a close game broke open when the Wildcats outscored Canton 26-15 in the second quarter. As if that wasn’t enough, WG put together a 45-23 blitz through the second half.
All the while, Apps proved impossible to contain, setting a new career mark with 29 points, while Carly DiCocco finished with 15 points. Nicole Belko and Lexie Myers each had seven points as 11 different WG players recorded field goals.
With a 5-4 mark, the Wildcats meet undefeated, state-ranked Corcoran and Rome Free Academy in the first full week of 2010, just as Marcellus (7-2) has a big Tuesday showdown with Jordan-Elbridge, owners of a seven-game win streak.
