Those following the Fayetteville-Manlius boys basketball team got a full glimpse of what an ideal performance looks like during the penultimate week of the regular season – at least on the offensive side of the ball.
The Hornets, coming off a tough Jan. 29 defeat to Henninger where it got shut down in the fourth quarter, went back to the city last Tuesday night and, at Corcoran, saw Jake Wittig record another triple-double, and get plenty of help in an 80-72 victory over the Cougars.
Corcoran, who has played opponents tough all season despite only owning an 8-6 record, did so again here, leading F-M through most of the first half and gradually gaining a 38-33 edge by the time they hit intermission.
But Wittig, anchoring a three-pronged attack that included prominent roles for forward David Stegemann and guard Nick Quilty-Koval, brought the Hornets back, F-M outscoring Corcoran 22-12 in the pivotal third quarter.
Then, to hang on, Wittig had to keep adding to his totals, picking up 28 points, recording 11 assists and adding 10 steals to match the triple-double he got against Central Square on Jan. 9.
Stegemann had his own double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Quilty-Koval hit five 3-pointers to account for most of his 17 points, adding six rebounds and four steals. Cormac Bettinger added six points. Corcoran star Marquis Gilbert led his side with 25 points as Romello Baxtron finished with 17 points.
Back home on Friday night, F-M took on a struggling Liverpool side and did not let up on the Warriors, taking over in the game’s middle stages to beat the Warriors 71-63.
A wild first quarter saw the Hornets inch in front, 25-21, but it didn’t get comfortable until it applied defensive pressure, and saw it translate into baskets on the other end. F-M nearly doubled up Liverpool as it outscored them a combined 35-18 in the middle two periods.
Wittig suffered a cut early in the game, but returned to post 24 points and add 10 assists, seven steals and four rebounds. Quilty-Koval managed 19 points, while Jaawan Crouch returned to form, managing 16 points, three rebounds and three assists.
Liverpool lost despite 15 points from Matt Hunter, 12 points from Will Cutler and 11 points from Sumit Singh, but its top player, Tyler Sullivan, was held to one field goal and six points, one of his lowest totals of the season.
Now all that is left for F-M (12-5) is to go to Baldwinsville Tuesday and then, next Friday, host Nottingham on what promises to be an emotional Senior Night, Wittig and his fellow seniors playing their last regular-season home game in the “Hornets Nest” and trying to, again, knock off a top-flight AA title contender after it could not take down Henninger.
