Sporting a 9-2 record, the Skaneateles girls basketball team could now afford to hone in on the regular season’s most important remaining contest.

Next Thursday night, the Lakers host undefeated, state Class B no. 2-ranked Westhill, a rematch of their Dec. 13 encounter where the Warriors prevailed, 66-45, taking charge after an ankle injury sidelined Laker forward Mary Buck.

Since then, Skaneateles has gone 5-1, including Monday night’s impressive trip to Phoenix, where the Lakers’ defense was in peak form and a big third-quarter surge led to a 68-19 romp over the Firebirds.

Not caring about Phoenix’s 3-9 woes, Skaneateles played a superb first half, gradually shutting Phoenix down, especially in a 17-4 second quarter that led to a 31-11 edge at the break.

Even that was a warm-up, though, for what the Lakers did in the third quarter. Aside from maintaining its defensive superiority, Skaneateles flattened Phoenix with 30 points in those eight minutes, getting whatever it wanted from numerous sources.

Elizabeth Lane, with 13 points, led a well-balanced attack. Joanna Dean got 12 points, while Nicole Beatson finished with nine points. Brittany Welch gained seven points and Buck added six points.

Just to make sure that it doesn’t look ahead to Westhill, the Lakers also have to navigate a home game next Tuesday night against another big rival, Marcellus.