Reeling from an 0-2 start, and with the prospect of more tough opposition right in front of them, the Skaneateles girls basketball team stood at an early crossroads.
But instead of buckling to the pressure and letting things get worse, the Lakers rose up in a big way, starting in last Tuesday night’s game against Bishop Grimes when it took over in the third quarter and defeated the Cobras 56-43.
Grimes arrived with a 3-0 record, but its smaller lineup gave Skaneateles a chance to dominate inside and get all sorts of rebounds in the first half, contrasting the speed and quickness of the Cobras.
Yet neither side was able to get much going, as it went to halftime tied 19-19. At just the right moment, though, the Lakers’ dormant outside shooting would spring back to life.
Five different times, Skaneateles connected on 3-point shots, the supposed strength of Grimes, and it formed the heart of a 21-7 outburst that stretched into the fourth quarter.
And when the Cobras threatened to make it interesting, cutting the margin to eight in the final minutes, the Lakers, instead of waiting for fouls, took quick shots that found the net and sealed a satisfying victory.
Nicole Beatson led the barrage, hitting on four 3-pointers to account for most of her 20 points. Joanna Dobrovosky had 12 points, twice connecting beyond the arc, while Shannon Foehl’s 10 points included a pair of 3-pointers.
Elizabeth Lane had eight points and Sarah Tomlinson added six points. Grimes lost despite Tina Hoag (14 points), Katy McInerney (13 points) and Jordan Vaught (11 points) reaching double figures.
Now Skaneateles sought two in a row when Cazenovia visited on Thursday night. More importantly, it wanted to give head coach Jill Blasi her 100th career victory, counting both her Laker tenure and her previous tenure at Bishop Ludden.
That didn’t prove much of a problem, as Skaneateles dominated this latest Laker battle and defeated Cazenovia 60-29, putting together, by far, it best all-around effort of the young season.
What was a close, low-scoring contest turned against the visiting Lakers when Skaneateles went on an 18-0 run that covered the end of the first quarter and most of the second period. Not stopping there, the hosts expanded the margin to 49-14 by the end of the third quarter.
It did so by spreading production around, even though Dobrovosky got close to a triple-double as she finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds, nine blocks and seven steals.
Nine different players converted field goals and six of them had six points or more, and this happened even though Skaneateles only made two 3-pointers all night.
Molly Wood produced a season-best 10 points, while Sarah Tomlinson earned eight points. Lane got seven points, just ahead of Beatson, Maddy Pinckney (six points each) and Foehl (five points).
No doubt, the Lakers were happy to get Blasi her milestone win, since it does not play at home again until Jan. 13, against Phoenix.
Thus, for a full month, Skaneateles must get used to the road, starting this week with games at Hannibal and Altmar-Parish-Williamstown (assuming the snow stops) and continuing with the Dec. 27-28 Fabius-Pompey Tournament.
