Part of the reason for the Cazenovia girls basketball team’s rough start, as defending Section III Class B champions, is that it has faced a long list of high-quality opponents – including Jordan-Elbridge.
The Lakers came close to beating the Eagles last Tuesday night, only to get denied in overtime as the Eagles prevailed, 48-42, to move to 3-1 as Cazenovia dipped to 1-5.
J-E, led by its senior center, Molly Hourigan (who is headed to Holy Cross next year), was eager to avenge a defeat to the Lakers in last year’s Section III Class B semifinal, but for a while it looked like that would not happen.
From the start, Cazenovia’s defense was effective, limiting J-E’s touches and forcing turnovers. This worked as the Lakers steadily worked its way to a 30-24 lead by the end of the third quarter.
Kristie Kleine carried Cazenovia’s offense, not stopping until she had registered a career-best 24 points, half of it from four 3-pointers. Maggie Carpenter, with 12 points, offered the inside help.
Yet Hourigan would not let the Eagles lose. Her presence in the paint helped the Eagles rally late in regulation as, by game’s end, she would earn a triple-double of 11 points, 13 rebounds and 12 blocked shots.
With the game tied 36-36, it went to overtime. Cazenovia honed in on Hourigan, but that allowed J-E’s Alexis Rouse to break open as she earned five of her seven points in that four-minute extra period. Ashley Foote led the Eagles with 13 points.
