An inspired 2016-17 season for the Chittenango boys basketball team resulted in a long-awaited appearance in the Section III Class B championship game.
And while eventual state champion Westhill ended the dream of a first title since 1977, the Bears galvanized the community, and with a solid group of returning players, Chittenango had every reason to think it could win big again.
To start the season, the Bears traveled south, to Binghamton Seton Catholic, for the Stop DWI Tournament, where in the opening round it faced Union-Endicott and, powered by Zach Falkenburg, pulled away late for a 54-40 victory over the Tigers.
After bolting to a 17-6 first-quarter edge, the Bears maintained that margin until it got held by U-E to four points in the third period. However, with Falkenburg difficult to contain, Chittenango outscored the Tigers 22-10 in the final period.
All told, Falkenburg had 29 points, more than half the Bears’ total, adding five rebounds. Some help came from Dylan Voutsinas, whose 12 points included a trio of 3-pointers. Inside, Matt Lanphear got eight rebounds and Sam Hill added seven rebounds.
In Saturday’s final, Chittenango took on host Seton Catholic, who had beaten Walton 58-53. This game was close, too, but the Bears could not hold on to a second-half lead in a 51-48 defeat to the Saints.
Neither team could sustain a run against each other, but Chittenango did enough to go up 24-21 by halftime. Turning it around, Seton Catholic inched in front late in the third period and then limited the Bears to nine points in the fourth quarter.
Other than Falkenburg, who had 22 points and five assists, no Chittenango player scored in double figures, though Hill (eight points, six rebounds) and Voutsinas (seven points, three steals) came close.
Cazenovia also had a solid season last winter, making it to the sectional quarterfinals before falling to Skaneateles. Now, in 2017-18, the Lakers were eager to get going again.
In its opener at Jordan-Elbridge last Tuesday night, Cazenovia prevailed 58-42, mostly depending on its defense to get through a tough first half before Drew Johnson led a getaway.
Clinging to a 25-21 lead over the Eagles at the break, the Lakers turned to Johnson, who hit three 3-pointers and got most of his 20 points in the last two quarters. J-E couldn’t focus on him, either, since Thomas Bragg and Dan Kent each got 10 points, while Matt Regan and Kevin Stalder had eight points apiece.
From there, Cazenovia ventured east for a two-game weekend road trip, which began Friday against Moriah, the reigning state Class D champions, whose defense proved too stifling as it handed the Lakers a 37-18 defeat.
A day later, the Lakers faced Plattsburgh and turned things around, prevailing 56-51 as it improved to 2-1 and looked ahead to a visit Tuesday to Syracuse Academy of Science and a game Saturday against PSLA-Fowler. Chittenango, who faces the Lakers Dec. 12, first meets Jordan-Elbridge in its home opener Friday night.
