While it was true that each of the West Genesee basketball teams would gain first-round byes going into the Section III Class AA playoffs, they went in there in very different moods.
For the girls Wildcats, it was nothing other than giddy anticipation to end a 23-year championship drought, as evidenced by its perfect 14-0 run through the CNY Counties League that it capped last Tuesday night with a 57-22 romp over Corcoran.
The Cougars’ best production came in a nine-point first quarter. Then WG’s defense took full command, limiting Corcoran to just five points in the next two periods while continuing to produce on a consistent basis on the other end of the floor.
With a 50-14 lead through three quarters, the Wildcats could afford to rest its starters. Eleven different players earned at least one field goal, with only Madison Smith getting into double figures as she scored 16 points. Mackenzie Smith added seven points as Haley Collins, Camryn Chawgo, Kaitlyn Walker and Mya Case had five points apiece.
All of this placed the Wildcats into the top seed for the sectional AA tournament – and to an ironic quarterfinal on Tuesday against no. 8 seed Cicero-North Syracuse, who had humbled WG in last year’s sectional final, but has lost twice to them in the regular season.
Right after that, the boys Wildcats get its turn in the sectional tournament, having earned a no. 2 seed and a first-round bye with a 17-3 record – but also with lots of concerns, given the way the regular season ended.
First, there was the Feb. 7 defeat to Liverpool on Nahjier Johnson’s last-second jumper in overtime. Then there was the Feb. 11 game at Bishop Kearney, saved when Malik Zachery hit a shot from just inside the half-court line at the horn.
More drama awaited in last Tuesday night’s regular-season finale against Corcoran, who had to win just to get into the playoffs. Again, it went to overtime – and again, WG got beat, this time 69-68 in a manner that mirrored what happened against Liverpool a week earlier.
WG had defeated the Cougars 85-74 on Jan. 17. Four weeks later, the rematch was a tight struggle from start to finish, Corcoran inching in front 31-29 by halftime and then trading baskets with the Wildcats throughout the second half.
With a chance to win it at the end of regulation, WG could not do so, and it went to four minutes of OT. They were still tied, 68-68, in the waning seconds of the extra frame when the Cougars’ Vinny Frenza drove to the basket – and Zachery fouled him with 0.7 seconds left.
Frustrated at the whistle, Zachery drew a technical fall. Now, Frenza had four chances to make a go-ahead free throw. He missed the first, and then the second, and then the third, with WG fans reminded of how Liverpool had missed free throws, too, late in regulation in that Feb. 7 classic before Johnson’s OT game-winner.
However, Frenza shook off the nerves and made that fourth free throw, and WG could not answer it, losing despite Nate Phillips (who didn’t play in the first Corcoran game) netting 24 points and Zachery adding 21 points. The Cougars held Jack Bova to seven points as it got 21 points from Jahaad Henry, 14 points from De’jour Reaves and 11 points from Tyrice Williams. Frenza’s winning foul shots gave him nine points for the night.
So now WG had to recover from all this – but would get a week to do so, thanks to its bye. Then it watched as no. 7 seed Auburn edged no. 10 seed Nottingham 51-48 in the opening round.
Thus, instead of facing a Bulldogs side it barely beat twice in the regular season, the Wildcats face the Maroons in Tuesday night’s quarterfinals, with the winner getting to SRC Arena Saturday night for a semifinal against no. 3 seed Rome Free Academy or no. 6 seed Henninger.
