Opening with a victory is nice. Following it up with more victories is even nicer.
The Chitteanngo girls basketball team understood this, and after knocking off Central Valley Academy Nov. 25 at SRC Arena, the Bears faced another Tri-Valley League foe in last Monday night’s home opener and prevailed again, edging the Indians 48-44.
Hot shooting in the first quarter pushed Chittenango in front 16-10. Over the course of the game’s middle stages, the Bears cooled off, but Oneida didn’t take full advantage, and during the final period every Indians run was answered to keep the hosts in front.
It helped Chittenango that its offense was a bit more diverse. Ally Shoemaker led with 17 points, while Morgan Shoemaker earned 11 points. Rachel Cleary, with 10 points, and Mackenzie Dahlin, with eight points, were close behind.
By contrast, Oneida mostly leaned on Lauren Skibitski, who produced 17 points, and Julianna Cavanaugh, who earned 16 points. Otherwise, the Indians got just four field goals, two each by Ella Rainbow and Anne Hood.
On Thursday night, Chittenango went for three in a row at Solvay, who was playing its season opener. Though the offense would sputter at times, the defense, especially in the pivotal third quarter, stayed sharp, and the Bears claimed a 41-31 win over the Bearcats.
To move in front, Chittenango held Solvay to four points in the first quarter. Still, it took a 13-6 push through the third quarter to establish a 33-21 lead, more than than the Bearcats could overcome despite Nadea Davis recording 16 points and 12 rebounds for the hosts.
With the Bears, the numbers were more spread out. Morgan Shoemaker had 12 points, six steals, two rebounds and two assists, while Dahlin and Ally Shoemaker each got eight points, Ally adding six rebounds and six steals. Trisha Whaley was a defensive standout with 11 rebounds and four steals to go with her five points.
All this took place as the Chittenango boys basketball team was getting off to its own quick start, already 2-0 when it ventured to Skaneateles on Friday night.
For the Bears, its new odyssey through the OHSL Liberty division started last Tuesday in the home opener against Hannibal, one where fast starts to each half, and a big effort by Dylan Voutsinas, again allowed Chittenango to get away in a 58-38 victory over the Warriors.
Making plenty of baskets early, the Bears grabbed a 19-8 edge by the end of the first quarter. Hannibal made up ground and only trailed by five, 30-25, at the break, but when Chittenango held them to four points in the third period and stretched out to a 49-29 edge, it was over.
Voutsinas could not miss from the perimeter, connecting on six 3-pointers as he finished with a career-best 27 points, plus three rebounds, two assists and two blocks. Hannibal was unable to focus on him, too, because Zach Falkenburg was producing 17 points, eight assists and three rebounds.
No other Chittenango player reached double figures, though Brendan Voutsinas hit a pair of 3-pointers to get six points. On Hannibal’s side, it got seven combined 3-pointers from Taber Carter and Tim Maynes, but just six combined field goals from the rest of the squad.
Seeking three wins in a row, Chittenango traveled to Skaneateles on Friday night, nearly squandering a halftime lead, but recovering just in time as, led by Falkenburg and Hunter Hendrix, the Bears fought past the Lakers 64-59.
Trailing by two after one period, Chittenango rolled through the second quarter and seized a 31-25 lead. Skaneateles erased most of that deficit in the third quarter, yet could not move out in front in large part as Falkenburg worked his total to 26 points and added a career-best eight steals.
In the paint, Hendrix camped out, so that he could grab 18 rebounds to go with 14 points. Sam Hill added nine rebounds and four steals to go with five points as Matt Lamphear had 11 points and four rebounds. Voutsinas got seven points. For Skaneateles, Matt Neumann led the way with15 points, just ahead of Jake Reed (14 points) and Jeremy Castle (12 points).
Chittenango’s 3-0 start, combined with Cazenovia’s 2-0 start, makes this Friday’s showdown on the Bears’ home floor even more attractive, though first comes a Monday-night visit from Pulaski.
