At some point in the third quarter of last Thursday night’s game at Cazenovia, the Bishop Grimes girls basketball team realized that its perfect record, and no. 2 state Class B ranking, might be in a bit of jeopardy.
And that’s when the Cobras found the form that has subdued so many others this winter, going on a 20-3 tear that completely turned the game around and allowed it to beat the Lakers, 53-39, and improve to 17-0 on the season.
Cazenovia, with a 10-5 record, provided a significant challenge beyond its solid record. From a match-up standpoint, the Lakers, with its strong group of front-line players, had just what it needed to worry a Grimes frontcourt anchored by freshman star Azariah Wade.
Throughout the first half, the Lakers’ forwards took turns containing Wade, and with enough outside shots falling from the likes of Kelsi Fredericks and Kate Sullivan, Cazenovia led most of the way, taking a 20-18 edge to the break.
Then more 3-pointers fell early in the third period, and suddenly Cazenovia led 28-20, putting Grimes in a rare instance of having to rally from a sizable deficit.
But just when it was getting comfortable, the Lakers saw the Cobras pick up full-court pressure, causing a rash of turnovers that Grimes turned into baskets, mostly from its trio of captains – Jordan Vaught, Teresa Shattuck and Katy McInerney, who had 15 combined points in a 20-3 surge.
Now ahead 38-31, Grimes continued to pressure, and by blanking the Lakers for long stretches of the fourth quarter, it pulled through again.
Vaught led both sides with 14 points, with McInerney adding 12 points and Shattuck eight points as Wade, despite all the attention on her, still got 10 points. Cazenovia saw Fredericks and Sullivan each finish with 11 points, while Audrey Burbidge added seven points.
East Syracuse Minoa played only once during the week, improving its record to 12-5 last Tuesday night by overcoming a rough start against Mexico and, led by a career-best effort from Ashley Scalzo, beating the Tigers 55-43.
Mexico arrived with a 4-9 record, but no fear and, at the outset, shot well from the field, leaving the Spartans to deal with a 19-10 deficit at the end of the first quarter.
Patiently, ESM turned it around, edging into a 27-26 lead by halftime, and then dominating the third quarter, too, outscoring the Tigers 21-3 to make it a 38-10 run through the middle two periods.
Much of that could be traced to Scalzo, who kept making inside baskets or drawing contact on her way to 29 points, which included 10 field goals and nine successful free throws.
Danielle Yates and Haley Wise, with eight points apiece, offered the most help and made up for Mexico holding Sydni Eure to six points. The Tigers lost despite a well-balanced attack where Kendra Harter had 16 points, Emily Blunt added 14 points and Amylyn Holland added 12 points.
After its defeat to Jamesville-DeWitt (see separate story), CBA bashed Fowler 84-25 on Friday night, leading 45-10 by halftime as Julie Cuomo and Natalie Nardella each had 14 points. Paige Nicholson added 12 points and Nafysa Williams 10 points as senior Josie Hakizimana managed nine points. Rosalee Winderl and Elisabeth Kip each had seven points.
Fayetteville-Manlius played twice this week, falling 31-27 to Corcoran last Tuesday night, the Hornets unable to overcome a 24-17 deficit in the final period as Carly Assimon led with just six points. Alexandra Vinci added nine rebounds.
Then the Hornets took a 42-29 defeat to Liverpool on Friday. Any hope of rallying from a 25-14 halftime deficit faded when the Warriors held the Hornets to two points in the fourth quarter. Assimon had nine points, with Alexandra Vinci adding seven points and Elizabeth Hall six points.
