Having faced setbacks at Utica Proctor and Corcoran, the West Genesee boys basketball team knew that reestablishing its winning form was crucial as the regular-season homestretch loomed.
And the stakes only grew as last Friday night’s game at Fayetteville-Manlius went on, with the Wildcats staring at a third consecutive defeat – but thanks to a revived Troy Temara, WG completed a regular-season sweep of its one-time nemesis, edging the Hornets 60-57.
All through the first half, the Wildcats (10-4), who beat F-M 66-58 on Dec. 15 in Camillus, traded baskets with the Hornets, neither side able to get away.
But WG’s 27-24 edge at the break did not hold, with F-M pulling even, 40-40, by the time they reached the fourth quarter and then taking the lead. With three minutes left, the Wildcats found itself behind, 54-50.
Feeling some urgency, WG clamped down on defense and produced just enough on the other end, getting big baskets and then, up 59-57, making one more stop in the waning seconds as F-M looked to tie or win it.
Temara, who had gone through a bout of inconsistency, climbed back to form, earning 21 points, including three 3-pointers.
All of Jack Bova’s 12 points came from four 3-pointers as Malik Zachery earned seven of his 11 points at the free-throw line and Owen Cross added eight points. F-M got 22 points and seven rebounds from Tim Zapisek as Tyler Papa added 14 points and nine rebounds.
Great as this win was, WG’s boys were already well-established. Contrast that with the girls Wildcats, who met an 11-2, state no. 19-ranked F-M side in Camillus that same night and, with a big finishing flourish, surprised the Hornets 55-47.
These teams had met Dec. 28 at SRC Arena, and WG was close until the final minutes, when F-M got away and won 46-36. Since then, the Hornets had built a 12-2 mark, but remembering that it stayed right with F-M, the Wildcats were confident for the rematch.
Held to seven points in the first quarter, WG gradually built up its attack, but the payoff didn’t come until the third quarter, where it more than doubled its total and, erasing F-M’s 22-19 margin, outscored the visitors 22-12.
In front for good, the Wildcats preserved it with depth, having all eight players that saw action earn one field goals, while F-M had six point contributors. Madison Smith led with 14 points as she, along with Camryn Chawgo (eight points) and Sierra Smith (six points), each hit a pair of 3-pointers. Haley Collins (eight points) and Mackenzie Smith (seven points) helped, too, as WG overcame 13 points from Hornets teammates D’Jhai Patterson-Ricks and Carly Assimon.
At 9-7 on the season, the Wildcats visit Auburn next Friday, looking to clinch a winning record for the 2015-16 regular season.
