One thing that head coach Karl Norris was sure of going into the 2016-17 season was that the Skaneateles boys basketball team had plenty of important parts to replace.
Gone from last year’s squad that reached the Section III Class B semifinals before falling to eventual champion Bishop Grimes was six seniors, but that included four of the five starters – Pete Knupp, Sam Duggan, Marc Pietropaoli and Zach Blair.
Only Jake Reed was back from last winter’s starting five, and with plenty of newer faces to blend into the lineup, Skaneateles would face some challenges, as evidenced last Saturday’s season-opening 70-39 defeat to New Hartford at SRC Arena.
This was part of the two-day “Hoops for the Hospital” event that pitted top teams from the Onondaga High School League against Tri-Valley League counterparts. New Hartford, a perennial Class A contender, was a difficult enough foe without all of the lineup transition.
With it, the Lakers only managed a trio of 3-pointers in the first quarter, far from enough as New Hartford roared out to a 24-10 lead. Though Skaneateles did close the gap a bit, its 38-27 halftime deficit got out of hand when the Spartans only allowed a single Seth Lincoln 3-pointer in the third period.
No Lakers player scored in double figures, though Reed, with nine points, got close, the only player on his side to hit more than two field goals. Lincoln, Matt Neumann and Kyler Viggiano had six points apiece, while New Hartford star Frankie Policelli poured in 24 points and teammate Troy Henderson added 13 points.
Skaneateles hopes some improvement will show this Tuesday at Jordan-Elbridge in the OHSL Liberty division opener before its first home game of the season Friday against league newcomer Chittenango.
