Just when it was riding back up the OHSL Liberty division standings and moving up to no. 12 in the state Class B rankings, the Westhill girls basketball team tripped up against a league foe getting on quite a roll at just the right time.
Cazenovia, with its interior strength and defensive prowess, would shut down the Warriors during the first half of last Tuesday’s game at Buckley Gym, and despite a late push, Westhill did not catch up, falling 50-43 to the Lakers.
Going into the game, Cazenovia, who started the season 0-3, had won 11 of 12 games, having seen forwards Danielle Tedesco and Lindsey Lawson turn into a major inside force – something Westhill would realize, too.
Whether it was Tedesco or Lawson finishing off scoring plays, the Lakers gave the Warriors real problems in the paint from the outset. However, the real issue was the way Cazenovia’s defense swarmed Westhill and forced turnovers and bad shots.
Thus, at halftime, the Warriors trailed 23-12, but it stormed back and pulled within four, 31-27, going to the fourth quarter. It stayed tense until, with the score 42-40, Tedesco converted on a three-point play with 54.3 seconds left, igniting an 8-3 finish for the Lakers.
All told, Tedesco had 21 points and Lawson had 20 points. By contrast, Westhill’s main trio never broke out, though Katelyn Karleski and Morgan Elmer both earned 11 points and Mackenzie Martin added 10 points. Brigid Heinrich finished with eight points.
Contrast this with what Jordan-Elbridge was doing that same night, hosting Phoenix and surprising the Firebirds 55-43.
Only 5-12 going into the game and 4-7 in league play, the Eagles, trying to save its playoff hopes, turned things around from a poor start by holding Phoenix to four points in the second quarter to take a 26-21 halftime lead.
Throughout the second half, the Eagles kept pulling away, answering every Firebirds charge thanks to the duo of Alexis Braun and Allison Jennings. Braun poured in 23 points, including three 3-pointers, while Jennings provided the inside balance with 17 points as Emily Klock added six points. Samantha Doupe led Phoenix with 17 points.
Unfortunately for J-E, it had to face Cazenovia next and the Lakers, not having a letdown after the Westhill win, knocked the Eagles out of post-season consideration in a 51-29 decision where its offense never really got going until the fourth quarter, by which point it trailed 39-16.
Braun still finished with 11 points, while Jennings earned nine points and Emily Somes had six points. Cazenovia proved too powerful in the paint, though, as Lawson gained 20 points (nine of them free throws) and Tedesco added 18 points.
Westhill recovered from the Cazenovia loss on Saturday afternoon, going to Skaneateles and handling the Lakers 71-40. Steadily, the Warriors built a 33-19 lead and then outscored Skaneateles 24-10 in the third quarter to pull further away.
Elmer led with 17 points, but Karleski (15 points) and Martin (14 points) were close behind and, more importantly, the other starters nearly got to double figures as Erica Gangemi finished with nine points and Jenna Larrabee contributed eight points.
Marcellus started its last week of the regular season with a trip to Altmar-Parish-Williamstown, where it jumped out to an 18-4 first-quarter lead and kept rolling from there, eventually beating the Rebels 64-31.
From that quick start to a 27-12 fourth-quarter push, Liz White proved the main threat, gaining 25 points, mostly from 12 successful field goals. Eve Hughes finished with 14 points, while Sydney Lewis got 11 points. Grace Hoey gained seven points.
Then, with a 72-39 win over ITC/Fowler on Thursday night, Marcellus got back to the .500 mark at 10-10. Up 37-16 by halftime, the Mustangs were never threatened as White got 21 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Hughes nearly got a triple-double, finishing with 11 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Lauren Young gained 12 points and five rebounds, while Lewis had eight points, eight rebounds and three assists and Kade DeMarie contributed six points. Hannah Durand contributed five rebounds.
ITC/Fowler had already met Solvay back on Monday, with the Bearcats prevailing 41-35. Leading 16-8 through one period, the Bearcats maintained that margin until a strong third quarter created a 38-26 lead, which it protected against ITC/Fowler’s last charge.
Aleah Yaizzo picked up 12 points and added seven rebounds. Camille Devereaux gained 10 rebounds to go with her seven points as Brielle Bagozzi got six points, five rebounds and three steals. Nadea Davis had seven rebounds and Johane Crenshaw six rebounds as Davis and Elle Hodge both got five points.
A day later, Solvay beat LaFayette 50-31, breaking open a close contest by outscoring the Lancers 31-14 in the second half. Hodge had 13 points, six steals, five assists and three rebounds, while Devereaux had 12 points and eight rebounds. Davis piled up 13 rebounds and six steals as Yaizzo got seven points and Crenshaw six points.
The brief win streak ended Thursday, Solvay falling to Pulaski 45-37 as it scored it nearly half its points in the fourth quarter, but only after the Blue Devils built up a 33-18 lead. Hodge had 17 points and six rebounds, with Bagozzi grabbing 11 rebounds and Davis getting nine points, plus five rebounds.
