Without question, the Westhill boys basketball team was paying close attention to Syracuse Academy of Science’s 4-0 start, which included an average of nearly 84 points per game.
So when the two sides squared off last Wednesday night, the Warriors were ready for the Atoms and, with a barrage of hot outside shooting, pulled away for an 85-57 victory.
To no one’s surprise, Westhill garnered the no. 1 spot in the first state Class B rankings of the season. SAS was there, too, at no. 24, but that status all but assured that the Warriors would bring its best effort against them.
Pouring through an Atoms defense missing two starters (Marcus Landers and Jesse Murray), Westhill gained a 24-12 first-quarter advantage. That margin grew to by halftime, and if that wasn’t enough, the Warriors settled matters by opening the third period with a 17-2 outburst.
Jordan Roland, with 21 points, and Tyler Reynolds, with 19 points, offered their usual amount of offensive production, and put up five rebounds apiece. But Jeff Lobello nearly matched them, hitting on four 3-pointers and gaining 16 points overall, plus nine assists.
Further help came from Chase Gedney, who had nine points, and Ryan Roland and Brian Daily, who got eight points apiece. SAS’s top scorer, Jayson Brower, still managed 18 points, but had just five field goals all night as Isaiah Richardson and Symir Torrence added 12 points apiece.
Marcellus was 2-1 going into last Monday’s game against East Syracuse Minoa, but could not stay above the .500 mark, falling to the Spartans 53-46.
The problem the Mustangs faced was a mid-game offensive slump. Trailing by just two, 17-15, after one period, Marcellus went cold, only scoring 15 total points in the next two periods, allowing ESM to build up a 42-30 margin.
Despite a late charge, the Mustangs could not catch up, as much of its offense depended on Mike Dillon and Mike Melnyczuk, who each had 18 points. Drew Mosher added six points. By contrast, the Spartans put three players in double figures, Jah-Meer McDuffie (15 points) leading the way in front of Brandon Breen (12 points) and Connor Gridley (10 points).
A night later, Solvay also paid for an ill-timed slump, seeing a lead it held against visiting Cazenovia vanish in the fourth quarter of a 49-44 defeat to the Lakers.
Solvay was 2-0, with lopsided wins over Hannibal and Jordan-Elbridge, and though Cazenovia was a step up in competition, the Bearcats didn’t back off from it, containing the Lakers throughout the first half and steadily building a 23-15 advantage.
Staying patient, the Lakers started to find some offense in the third quarter, but saved its best work for the final period, when it forced Solvay into all kinds of mistakes and went on a closing 15-4 run to pull out the victory.
Solvay lost despite a game-high 22 points from Jon Scutt and 11 points from Blake Bagozzi, though no other Bearcats player had more than five points. Jake Shaffner, with 15 points, led the Lakers’ rally, while Keaton Ackermann put up 11 points. Kevin Ridings contributed nine points.
J-E shook off that loss to Solvay in an impressive effort at Weedsport, where a big start to the second half made the difference in a 60-48 victory over the Warriors.
An early Eagles lead had gone away when Weedsport rallied to go up, 34-32, at halftime. J-E would rebound in a big way, though, outscoring the Warriors 20-8 in the third quarter to move in front for good.
Despite 23 points from J.J. O’Connor and 15 points from Steve Nemeck, Weedsport fell to a more balance Eagles attack. Kyle Humberstone led with 13 points, while Zach Wagner and Ryan Matousek had 12 points apiece. Ryan Cooper (nine points) and Sam Robles (eight points) almost hit double figures, too, as Justin Quinn contributed six points.