Almost by himself, Zach Falkenburg pushed the Chittenango boys basketball team to the brink of a Section III championship – something it hasn’t achieved in 40 years.
Perhaps it was fitting that Falkenburg nearly reached 40 points in Saturday night’s sectional Class B semifinal against Vernon-Verona-Sherrill at Le Moyne College, but the 39 that he did put up helped the no. 2 seed Bears beat the no. 3 seed Red Devils 60-52.
Though he has spent the season pacing Chittenango’s attack, Falkenburg took that task to a whole new level against VVS, helping his side overcome a slow start and then delivering big baskets when the Red Devils took the lead early in the fourth quarter.
At least at the outset, the star turn came not from Falkenburg, but VVS forward Davey Moffett, who poured in 11 points as his side raced out to a 16-7 lead.
However, the Red Devils didn’t make Chittenango pay too much for its slow start, and Falkenburg pounced, as he ignited a 14-0 run with back-to-back 3-pointers early in the second quarter to put the Bears ahead for good.
By halftime, Falkenburg had 17 points, though it was reserve Jacob Burgan drilling consecutive baskets, including one right before the horn, that helped cool off the Red Devils and put Chittenango in front, 31-28, at the break.
Falkenburg all but took over the Bears’ attack in the third quarter. Of Chittenango’s 14 points, 11 of them came from the junior guard, again keeping his team in front as it took a 44-40 lead to the final period.
Twice, VVS pushed out in front, but with his team down 47-46, Falkenburg again went to work. Between a go-ahead 3-pointer, two free throws and a three-point play with 3:19 left, he ran his total to 36 points and pushed the Bears to a 54-48 lead.
Andrew Roden answered with a three-point play of his own that cut Chittenango’s margin in half, but seconds later Dylan Voutsinas, scoreless since the second quarter, drilled a 3-pointer, and VVS never got close again.
This sets up, for Chittenango, towering task in next Sunday’s sectional final at 2:45 at Onondaga Community College’s SRC Arena – namely, trying to upend top seed Westhill, who in its three playoff games have rolled past Hannibal (77-35), Institute of Technology Central (77-63) and Skaneateles (70-45) by double-digit margins.
The Bears also remember that the Warriors beat them 63-43 on Jan. 3. Two months later, they reunite, with Westhill seeking a fourth sectional title in five years and Chittenango going after a championship that has proven elusive since 1977.
