During the holiday break, the Chittenango boys basketball team tried, again, to break out of its doldrums by hosting the annual “More Than A Game” Tournament.
The Bears lost, though, to Solvay 49-25 in the opening round on Dec. 27 only scoring nine points in the first half as the Bearcats took charge and gained most of its winning margin in those first two periods.
Late in the game, Jordan Sass and Dan Falsinger would find some success, each of them scoring nine points, but it proved far too late. Solvay eased to victory as Cody Pucello, with 13 points, was the only player on either side to reach double figures.
Chittenango would play a lot better in the consolation game Dec. 28 against Tully (who lost the other opening-round game to Massena), but still lost to the Black Knights 66-57.
At no point did Tully ever make a sustained run. The Bears played to a 15-15 first-quarter draw and only trailed by two, 31-29, at the break. The second half mostly consisted of a chase where Chittenango stayed close, but the Black Knights never let them catch up.
Brett Buyea, in particular, had a tremendous effort for the Bears, pouring in 27 points, nearly half his team’s output. Conor Delaney managed nine points, while Filsinger had eight points and Sass got seven points.
Chris Russell led Tully with 25 points, but had more substantial help as Adrian Nash (16 points) and Steve Schoemaker (14 points) both went deep into double figures. Later that night, Massena would edge Solvay, 52-48, in the championship game.
Cold weather caused a postponement of boys and girls basketball games against Cortland on Friday, but they were made up Saturday afternoon, with the same vexing results.
On the boys end, the Bears, desperately trying to end its six-game skid, started quite well, but could finish it off in a 59-52 defeat to the Purple Tigers.
All through the first two periods, Chittenango matched Cortland’s production, and by the time they went to the break, the Bears clung to a 27-25 lead. As the pace picked up, though, the Purple Tigers inched out in front, and it would use late free throws to hang on.
Sass finished with 12 points, while Delaney and Filsinger each picked up 10 points. Matt Milliman added six points as Quinn Kennedy led Cortland with 17 points and 13 rebounds, with Zach Whelan contributing 16 points.
It wasn’t as close on the girls side as Chittenango fell to Cortland 54-25, watching as the Purple Tigers used a 28-8 run through the second and third periods to break loose.
Sarah Moon, with 10 points, and Kate Boyer, with seven points, accounted for most of the Bears’ offense as Cortland’s Shea Swartwout and Shaniqua Artis had 15 points apiece. Both of Chittenango’s sides will play twice in the first full week of 2014, against CBA and Fulton.
