And now the next chapter started for the West Genesee boys basketball team.
The Wildcats’ dramatic, improbable run to the state Class AA championship a season ago inspired and moved all who witnessed it, a once-middling program transformed into a powerhouse.
Now everyone wonders if the magic could happen again. Lucas Sutherland is gone, but state final four MVP Will Amica, John Benson, Kam Jones and Adam Dudzinski return, a strong core ready to take on all challengers.
The first of them, Utica Proctor, was welcomed Saturday night as WG debuted in the nightcap of Saturday’s Peppino’s Invitational at SRC Arena. Once more, the Wildcats found success on this floor, pulling away to defeat the Raiders 69-50.
Even with a solid start, WG nearly saw an early lead vanish when Proctor pulled within one, 29-28, at halftime, but over the course of the second half the Wildcats seized control on both ends.
Not only was the defense solid, but Amica, despite plenty of attention from the Raiders, got 18 points, with Jones stepping up to get 14 points and Sam Gallagher earning 11 points. Benson and Dudzinski had eight points apiece.
Bishop Ludden also was in the Peppino’s Invitational, challenging Liverpool Friday night and, with tough play down the stretch, fought to a 54-50 win over the Warriors.
Defense was the story early as Ludden held Liverpool to just one field goal in the first six minutes, yet could not get away itself, its lead in the first half never stretching beyond five points.
Trailing early in the third period, the Gaelic Knights went on a 12-2 run, only to have the Warriors counter and go back in front 46-44 with less than four minutes left.
Free throws tied it and, with 2:46 left, Nazier’s Kinsey’s layup gave Ludden the lead for good. Still, it had to hang on as, leading by one with less than a minute left, it got a driving layup from Monte Johnson and then made one more defensive stop to seal it.
Johnson, with 20 points, and Mykell Kaigler, with 19 points, accounted for most of the Gaelic Knights’ production. Jacob Works and Kyle Caves paced Liverpool with 11 points apiece.
This followed, by 24 hours, Ludden’s season opener, where it routed Mexico 68-36, overcoming a so-so start by outscoring the Tigers 23-9 in the second quarter, breezing from there.
Kaigler asserted himself with a career-best total of 26 points, including four 3-pointers. Johnson offered ample support, earning 16 points.
Earlier that same night and on that same OCC floor, Marcellus opened against Institute of Technology Central and fought hard to earn a 67-63 victory over the Eagles.
It was tight from start to finish, the Mustangs and ITC trading leads and momentum until, at the end of the third quarter, the two sides stood tied at 48-48.
Briefly, ITC went in front, but Marcellus regained the lead 54-51 and never trailed again, getting key 3-pointers from, among other, Matt Kershaw, who led his side with 22 points.
Ryan Sammon contributed 15 points, converting three times beyond the arc, while Luke Ingianni had 12 points and Cory Cangemi got nine points. ITC’s Edwin Seton led all scorers with 29 points.
Before all this, another local team with a major challenge in front of them, Jordan-Elbridge, made its own successful season debut last Wednesday night, defeating the Homer Trojans 49-46.
Jeremiah Sparks all but carried the Eagles to the sectional Class B quarterfinals a season ago. Now Sparks is gone, but J-E’s confidence is not, as it showed by getting a 27-24 lead on Homer by halftime and hanging on late.
With a far more balanced attack, the Eagles featured 15 points from Alex Pond, 14 points from Tyler Waldron and 10 points from Mitch Holt as Dakota Holbrook contributed seven points.
