More than nine months since they waged a classic battle for the Section III Class AA girls basketball championship, West Genesee and Cicero-North Syracuse reunited, and again it proved memorable.
The two-time defending champion Wildcats overcame a nine-point deficit in the second half, then surrendered an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter before pulling out a 55-52, overtime victory over the Northstars.
From the outset, the game was played with post-season intensity, even though each side had only one game in the books. WG had won its opener Nov. 29 over CBA, with C-NS prevailing over Baldwinsville on Dec. 4.
Helped by 10-0 runs that closed both the first and second quarters, the Northstars maintained control, and were up 36-27 early in the third quarter.
It was here that WG’s vaunted defense turned the game around, picking up pressure and forcing C-NS into all kinds of mistakes. For more than eight minutes, the Northstars were unable to convert a field goal.
During that time, the Wildcats went on a 19-2 run. It was sophomore Catie Cunningham sparking WG’s attack, pouring in all 22 of her points in the first three quarters, more than making up for the struggles of Madison Smith, who went without a field goal in the first half but would contribute plenty the rest of the way and finish with 10 point.
But after Mackenzie Smith’s layup and free throw with 4:35 left that made it 48-40, the Wildcats were shut out for the rest of regulation, giving C-NS ample time to break out of its drought and catch up.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Alexandra Miller and Morgan Siechen cut WG’s lead to two. Then, with 36.4 seconds left, Jessica Cook, who led C-NS with 20 points, hit a driving layup, and when Mackenzie Smith’s long 3-point attempt to win it in the waning seconds fell off the rim, it went to overtime 48-48.
And they were still tied, 52-52, when WG’s defense won it. C-NS had the ball in the last minute of OT when pressure forced a loose ball that Mackenzie Smith ran down, and she converted the go-ahead basket, giving her 20 points for the night.
Seconds later, the Northstars turned it over again, and WG managed to keep the ball away until, fouled with 1.8 seconds left, Madison Smith hit one of two free throws.
Still with a chance to force a second OT, C-NS, from midcourt, passed it to Mackenzie White, whose 3-pointer fell short as the clock ran out. The WIldcats and Northstars meet again Jan. 15 in Camillus.
The Wildcats and Northstars meet again Jan. 15 in Camillus. In the meantime, WG went to Liverpool Thursday and didn’t wait to take control in a 56-34 victory over the Warriors.
Steadily, the Wildcats amassed a 34-21 halftime lead, and then outscored Liverpool 18-5 in the third quarter to get away. Mackenzie Smith led with 13 points, but Cunningham (10 points) and Madison Smith (nine points) were close behind as Kaitlyn Walker, who fouled out at C-NS, had 11 points here.
While all this was going on, Jordan-Elbridge and Solvay both picked up victories early in the week.The Eagles prevailed last Monday over ITC/Fowler 38-29, roaring out to a 13-4 lead by the end of the first quarter and maintaining that margin the rest of the way.
Largely, J-E leaned on Ashlee Eaton, who had 18 points, nearly half her team’s output. Delaney Dunham had six points, with Kyler Langhorn contributing five points.
That same night, Solvay topped Cato-Meridian 32-26, using an 11-3 push through the second quarter to overcome an early Blue Devils lead and maintaining it with defense, holding Cato to two points in the third quarter.
Myah Platler got 12 points, with Allie Posnick adding 11 points. Together, their work, plus the defense, helped overcome the fact that the rest of the Bearcats only had three combined field goals.
Solvay was in action Thursday against Syracuse Academy of Science, where it lost, 54-24, to the Atoms, who started the game with a 28-2 first-quarter blitz. Haley Muehl had 11 points for the Bearcats as Posnick added six points.
