Just when it had built up its record to 10-1 and returned to the state Class AA rankings in the no. 22 spot, the Cicero-North Syracuse boys basketball team hit a snag, losing twice during last week’s busy slate and pushed to overtime in the one game it did win.
The Northstars were stunned at home by West Genesee 64-63 last Tuesday night, seeing its own successful formula turned on them by the Wildcats, who erased a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit.
WG entered the game with a 3-6 record, but remembered that, a month earlier in Camillus, it had a similar chance to beat C-NS but could not close strong in a 50-43 defeat.
Held to eight points in the first quarter of the rematch, the Wildcats chased the Northstars throughout the middle stages, yet entered the fourth period staring at a 52-42 deficit against a team that, all season long, had played its best down the stretch.
This is what made WG’s turnaround so surprising. It scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter to make up most of the ground, and needed Christian Rossi’s timely 3-pointer to maintain that momentum.
Ultimately, like so many close games, it came down to the foul line. Will Amica tied it, 62-62, with a pair of free throws, only to have the Northstars’ Jaysaun Gunn get fouled as time ticked down.
Gunn made the first, but missed the second and, on the rebounds, Sutherland drew contact. Already with 22 points and 12 rebounds on the night, Sutherland, with 3.4 seconds left, made both free throws, and WG’s one-point lead would hold up.
Gunn led C-NS with 14 points, with Omar Mere getting 11 points and eight rebounds. Kyle Cody and A.J. Forney each had 10 points, with Cody adding seven rebounds and Forney six rebounds. Lukas Merluzzi had eight points and Alex Gray got seven points.
Along with five assists, Amica gained 12 points as Jack McLane gathered 10 rebounds and six points, with Kam Jones getting eight points to aid WG’s cause.
Needing to bounce back, C-NS visited struggling Fayetteville-Manlius Friday night, and had to go beyond regulation to survive a 57-52 battle with the Hornets.
A low-scoring first half saw the Northstars lead most of the way, but not pull clear. Instead, F-M overcame a 21-17 halftime deficit and kept things close until, at the end of regulation, it caught up and, at 44-44, forced overtime.
During a tough OT period, C-NS regained the lead and held on, with Gunn producing 12 points to lead a balanced attack. Mere had 11 points and Judah Bailey got 10 points as Gray earned eight points and Merluzzi contributed seven points.
A Saturday-night trip to Christian Brothers Academy followed, and it proved far different from their early-season encounter as C-NS lost a 52-46 decision to the Brothers.
CBA scored just 36 points when it lost to the Northstars on Dec. 8. Here, it was C-NS slumping as it got just six points in the second quarter, allowing the Brothers to move out in front.
All through the second half, C-NS tried to catch up, Mere getting 17 points and nine rebounds as Bailey added nine rebounds and six points, with help from Gunn (eight points, four assists) and Forney (seven points, five assists).
But the Brothers maintained that lead throughout the closing stretches, seeing SirVocea Dennis earn a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds as Avion Othman had 15 points and Aaron Clendenin got 13 points.
And this leads to C-NS hosting the second of its two girls-boys basketball doubleheaders against Liverpool on Friday night.
