Connor Evans wanted one more chance to play high school basketball, one more opportunity to step on the floor and score a basket. To its everlasting credit, the Cicero-North Syracuse boys basketball team gave it to him.
Sidelined by a knee injury for the entire season, Evans was allowed to suit up in Thursday night’s season finale against Auburn, and the display of class by the Northstars, and sportsmanship by the Maroons, made the night a memorable one.
During football season in the fall, Evans, who had led C-NS to last winter’s Section III Class AA final before falling to Utica Proctor, got hurt. It turned out to be a torn ACL.
Thus, Evans had to watch as the Northstars, despite an all-out effort every night, went 3-15 and fell out of playoff contention. This meant that the Auburn game carried no meaning beyond an improvement in either side’s won-loss record.
But C-NS was determined to give Evans a proper send-off. He put on his uniform and started the game, and at tipoff, the Northstars gained possession and passed to Evans underneath the basket, who scored on a lay-up, earning a roar from the crowd and hugs from his teammates.
In return, C-NS allowed Auburn to put in an uncontested basket, and the game took off from there, a tight and exciting contest where the Northstars led 20-14 after one period, only to see the Maroons outscore them 26-9 in the second quarter to lead 40-29 at the break.
But it swung the other way In the third quarter, Auburn held to four points as C-NS charged back in front, 48-44. It stayed close the rest of the way, but the Northstars held on and beat the Maroons by a 63-60 margin.
Nick Antonello had 16 points and 12 rebounds, while Brendan Gacek nearly had a double-double, too, earning 13 points and nine rebounds. Steven Theetge had 11 points and five rebounds. Auburn lost despite 20 points from Jonathan Bell and 19 points from Kevin DiCola.
This final stretch of the season for the Northstars commenced last Tuesday with a 59-54 home loss to Rome Free Academy.
Everything fell apart in the third quarter. Up 20-16 at the break, the Northstars’ defense got hammered as the Black Knights hit all kinds of shots during a 26-9 outburst, Lindell Reed leading the way with 20 points as Tyrone Cowell, Isaiah Harris and Elijah Smalls each got 10 points.
Try as it could, C-NS could not make up that deficit, though Gacek did get 20 points and seven rebounds, with Theetge adding 11 points and A.J. Nesci 10 points, plus seven assists.
