When it bolted out to a 3-0 start, the Chittenango girls basketball team was happy and confident about what lay ahead, only to have to wait 11 days to take to the court again after its Dec. 8 trip to Altmar-Parish-Williamstown got snowed out.

That wait may have cost the Bears plenty of momentum, for when it resumed action last Monday night against the same Oneida team it beat 48-44 two weeks earlier, things turned in a different direction, leading to a 41-31 defeat to the Indians.

Especially from a defensive standpoint, Oneida had learned plenty from that Nov. 28 encounter with Chittenango, and applied those lessons throughout the game. The Bears fell behind, 21-12, by halftime, and managed just three points in the third quarter while seeing the Indians pull further away.

Ally Shoemaker, in defeat, had seven points, seven rebounds, six steals, three assists and two blocks. McKenzie Dahlin also had seven points as Trisha Whaley grabbed nine rebounds to go with six points. Sydney Bennett contributed seven rebounds.

To win, Oneida not only defended well, but balanced out its attack. Three Indians players scored in double figures as Julianna Cavanaugh had 13 points, Lauren Skibitski 12 points and Ella Rainbow 11 points, with Gabby Cafalone earning 10 rebounds and five assists.

Now the Bears had little time to recover because, 24 hours later, Marcellus would arrive sporting a 4-0 record. But neither that, nor the quick turnaround, seemed to bother Chittenango that much as it beat the Mustangs 48-42.

Already with a 15-12 lead, the Bears made its decisive move in the second quarter, limiting Marcellus to four points while producing plenty of baskets and seizing a 28-16 advantage. This allowed it to withstand the Mustangs’ third-quarter comeback and still close strong.

By earning 19 points and nine rebounds, Ally Shoemaker nearly achieved a double-double, adding four assists and three steals. Whaley grabbed 12 rebounds and Bennett six rebounds as Cassidy Kelly stepped up with 11 points and four rebounds.  Morgan Shoemaker earned seven points. Liz White led Marcellus with 14 points.

And the Bears would make it back-to-back wins Friday night when it routed Syracuse’s combined ITC/Fowler squad 61-32, Chittenango surrendering just eight points in the entire first half and building its lead throughout the evening even as ITC/Fowler started to record baskets on a regular basis.

Ally Shoemaker set a career mark with 12 steals to go with 13 points. Dahlin had a team-best 14 points and added seven rebounds, while Cleary had nine points and seven rebounds. Kelly and Katy Myka each got six points as Myka grabbed eight rebounds and Kelly five rebounds. Whaley picked up six rebounds and four steals.

While all this was going on, Cazenovia had its game with Jordan-Elbridge last Tuesday moved to Jan. 28, but the Lakers did play Friday at Sherburne-Earlville and, mostly thanks to its defense, broke a three-game skid and won for the first time this winter, beating the Marauders 44-29.

Already with a 12-8 lead, Cazenovia took charge when it held S-E to two points in the second quarter. It would also produce down the stretch after the Marauders reduced its deficit to 29-19 going into the fourth quarter.

Nearly half the offense came from Daneille Tedesco, who poured in 20 points, and when S-E tried to stop here, Lindsey Lawson would produce 10 points and Lucy Connor added nine points. Cazenovia (1-3) would go to Phoenix Monday and hosts Altmar-Parish-Williamstown Thursday night.