The local boys basketball spotlight was supposed to stay with Liverpool last week, but weather disrupted those plans.
A first-place CNY Counties League showdown between Liverpool and undefeated West Genesee was postponed on Tuesday night. Changes in the schedule mean that the Warriors and Wildcats will face each other Jan. 24 at Liverpool, and then meet again Feb. 7 in Camillus.
Meanwhile, Cicero-North Syracuse, who dropped a tough 66-59 decision at home to Liverpool on Jan. 6, bounced back in the most dramatic way possible Wednesday night when it pulled out a 63-61 victory over the Corcoran Cougars.
That loss to the Warriors left the Northstars at 3-6 heading to Corcoran. Feeling some urgency, C-NS seized an early lead, but could not get away as the two sides mostly traded baskets and runs throughout the contest.
Regaining the lead late, C-NS left itself vulnerable due to missed a free throws, a problem for much of the season. Clinging to a one-point edge, 61-60, in the waning seconds, the Northstars committed a foul, and a Cougars free throw left the game tied, 61-61.
Then C-NS inbounded the ball, and Jaycee Gunn took a long pass from beyond mid-court, drove to the basket, and while he missed, the rebound went right to Alex Gray, who converted with two seconds to play, Corcoran unable to answer it.
Gray’s winning basket capped an effort where he poured in 22 points and added six rebounds, while Gunn had 14 points, four rebounds and four assists. Eric Bowen had nine points, while Kyle Cody picked up seven points and seven rebounds. Omar Mere had five assists and four rebounds. For the Cougars, Jahaad Henry had 20 points and 10 rebounds, with Vincent Frenza (15 points, nine rebounds) helped out.
C-NS did not find the same success on Friday night in a 60-52 home defeat to Nottingham. Held to five points in the first quarter and trailing 27-17 at halftime, the Northstars nearly made up that deficit in the third quarter, but saw the Bulldogs hang on late, helped by 23 points from Malcolm Nelson and 22 points from Jakair Sanchez.
Lukas Merluzzi had 18 points, most of it from four 3-pointers. Gray got 10 points, while Bowen had eight points and Gunn earned seven points.
