Melissa Fumano has proven herself as a critical component of the West Genesee girls basketball team’s rise from the middle of the pack to elite Class AA contender status.
So it was only fitting and proper that the Wildcats senior got to pass a major milestone in front of the home crowd in Camillus Tuesday night, earning her 1,000th career point as the Wildcats fought off Oswego 57-51 and improved to 10-1 on the season.
Even with some early struggles, It didn’t take long for Fumano, who entered the game just a few points short, to get that historic basket.
Barely five minutes into the first quarter, Fumano, who had missed three of four free-throw attempts, used a nifty turnaround jump shot to get to 1,000, just the third player in WG’s girls basketball history to accumulate that many points. The game was briefly stopped as the home crowd gave her a standing ovation.
Once play resumed, the Wildcats, freed from that possible distraction, threatened to blow away Oswego, using a 25-10 second-quarter surge and strong defense that forced 13 total first-half turnovers to build a 35-18 margin going into halftime.
Then, just as quickly, the Buccaneers fought back, clamping down on its 1-3-1 zone to slow WG down as, on the other end, Oswego started converting with regularity, the once-comfortable Wildcat lead cut to just two points, 44-42, as Erica Atkins hit on consecutive 3-pointers.
Staying cool, WG restored its defensive prowess in the final period and gradually got away, led by Fumano, who finished with 19 points, four rebounds and three steals.
Help came from Marissa Hudgins, who pulled in 11 points and nine rebounds, and Grace Osterdale, who managed 10 points. Melissa Bakowski (nine points) and Jackie Pardee (eight points) nearly reached double figures, too, as Atkins (14 points), Marguerite Dillon (11 points) and McKenna Brooks (10 points) led Oswego’s effort.
As this went on, West Genesee’s boys basketball team got a big win at Oswego, taking over in the second quarter to stop the Bucs 65-44.
Oswego came into the game having won seven of eight, many of them fourth-quarter comebacks decided in the closing seconds. WG wanted to make sure that it didn’t get that interesting.
During a high-scoring first quarter, the Wildcats moved out in front, 21-16, but that only set the table for the decisive second period. Strong, relentless defense forced the Bucs into cold shooting, and the hosts managed just three points.
As a result, WG was up 37-19 going into the break, and it spent the entire second half turning back all of Oswego’s attempts to make things close at the end again.
Though Shane Temara again led the way with 23 points, each of the 10 Wildcat players that saw action scored at least one field goal, a nice display of depth.
Rob Pocyntyluk stepped up, scoring nine points, while Troy Temara and Sam Brown had six points apiece. Ryan Lavner, with 11 points, was the lone Bucs player to score in double figures.
