An impressive 3-0 start had given fans of the Chittenango boys basketball team its first real optimism in years – but everyone was still curious about how it would fare against more established powers.
And no one was more established than defending Section III Class A champion Christian Brothers Academy, whom the Bears visited last Tuesday night. What was demonstrated, in the 63-35 defeat to the Brothers, was that Chittenango had made progress, but getting to the top required an even bigger effort.
CBA had already picked up impressive wins over the likes of Utica Proctor and Liverpool, and guarded against a letdown by playing stifling defense against the Bears. Only down 12-6 through one period, Chittenango saw its best opportunity slip away when it managed just a single free throw in the second quarter.
Between them, Zach Falkenburg, with 13 points, and Nate Falkenburg, with 10 points, accounted for most of the Bears’ offense, as the rest of the team had just four combined field goals. CBA was well-balanced, with seven players earning six or more points, but none more than Dan Damico’s total of 11 points.
Back home on Friday night, Chittenango took on Canastota, and the Bears bounced back against its Route 5 neighbors, overcoming a bad start to defeat the Raiders 51-43.
Chittenango trailed, 14-7, after one period, but steadily caught up and, during the second half, played superb defense, holding Canastota to just 16 total points.
Hot outside shooting produced the comeback, starting with Matt Milliman, whose four 3-pointers accounted for most of his 21 points, and continuing with Eli Kim, who also connected four times beyond the arc on his way to 14 points. Zach Falkenburg added eight points as just one Raiders player, Zarin Martin, reached double figures with 15 points.
Meanwhile, the Chittenango girls basketball team had its own struggles, starting with last Monday’s 58-28 defeat to CBA, where it fell behind 18-2 in the first quarter and could not recover from that early drought.
Megan Pierce still managed a pair of 3-pointers and eight points overall, while Sydney Bennett and Alexandra Shoemaker had six points apiece. On the Brothers’ side, Natalie Nardella earned 18 points, most of it from four 3-pointers, while Rosalee WInderl had 11 points.
In a non-league game at Oneida two nights later, the Bears fell to the Indians 52-36, somehow staying within sight despite getting shut out in the first quarter.
Oneida led, 13-0, after that opening period, and from there Chittenango spent the rest of the game in a futile chase. Bennett managed 12 points, while Pierce gained seven points and Morgan Shoemaker five points. For the Indians, Julianna Cavanaugh had 14 points and Lauren Skibitski added 12 points.
Chittenango had another road game Friday night, at Solvay, but enjoyed far more success, the Bears routing the Bearcats 63-35 as it produced its best point total, steadily building up a 49-21 lead through three periods to decide matters.
That win improved Chittenango’s record to 2-4, with games against Central Square Friday and Oswego on Dec. 22 before the holiday break as the boys Bears also meet the Redhawks and Buccaneers, but after a Tuesday trip to Fowler.
