A pair of important tests stood in front of the Fayetteville-Manlius girls basketball team as it attempted to build upon its 11-2 record and maintain, or improve, its no. 18 spot in the latest state Class AA rankings.

First, the Hornets who had an early-week game with Corcoran snowed out, went to Rome Free Academy last Wednesday night, making up a snowed-out Jan. 13 game against last year’s Section III Class AA finalists. It proved close and tense, but F-M did just enough to turn back the Black Knights by a score of 41-39.

Baskets were tough to find throughout the first half, and the Hornets’ early 10-6 advantage vanished as RFA cranked up its pressure, limiting the visitors to just six points the rest of the half and pulling even, 16-16.

No one could make any kind of sustained run in the second half, but as the pace picked up, F-M inched out in front and stayed there, overcoming big efforts from Tiana Pugh, who had 14 points, and Emilee Finley, who got 13 points and eight rebounds as Amanda Wilbert pulled down 11 rebounds.

On the Hornets’ side, top scorer D’Jhai Patterson-Ricks was held to seven points, but her teammates helped out in a big way. Carly Assimon earned most of her 12 points from three 3-pointers as Alexis Gray also had 12 points. Abbey Harris contributed six points.

Two nights later, F-M would visit West Genesee, who was looking to avenge a 46-36 defeat to the Hornets on Dec. 29 at SRC Arena. This time, the game was in Camillus, and the Wildcats would, indeed, get even, prevailing by a 55-47 margin.

The Hornets held WG to seven points in the first quarter, but from there, the Wildcats gradually built up its attack, and the payoff came in 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 goal while F-M had six point contributors, including Patterson-Ricks and Assimon, who led with 13 points apiece. Madison Smith led WG with 14 points as she, along with Camryn Chawgo (eight points) and Sierra Smith (six points), each hit a pair of 3-pointers.

Meanwhile, F-M’s boys basketball team hosted West Genesee, trying to atone for a 66-58 defeat to the Wildcats in mid-December – and nearly doing so, only to get caught and passed at the end of a 60-57 defeat to the Wildcats.

All through the first half, the two sides traded baskets, 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 Hornets were still up, 54-50, yet the Wildcats 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.

F-M got 22 points and seven rebounds from Tim Zapisek as Tyler Papa added 14 points and nine rebounds. Fernando Johnson had 10 points. On WG’s side, Troy Temara earned 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.

The loss dropped F-M to 6-8, still two wins away from locking up a Section III Class AA playoff berth, but with a chance to get one again Tuesday against Nottingham before defending sectional champion Henninger visits on Friday night.