Mired at 3-7, the West Genesee boys basketball team was running out of time to turn things around.
Then the Wildcats made a trip to Cicero-North Syracuse last Tuesday night and proceeded to stun the 10-1, state Class AA no. 22-ranked Northstars 64-63, rallying in the fourth quarter and pulling it out on Lucas Sutherland’s last-second free throws.
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.
Along with five assists, Amica gained 12 points as Jack McLane gathered 10 rebounds and six points, with Kam Jones getting eight points. 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.
Now WG sought back-to-back wins Thursday against Nottingham, and got it in a tough 66-64 decision that saw the Bulldogs get off to a terrific start, leaving the Wildcats staring at a 36-30 halftime deficit.
Adjustments on both end worked for WG as it proceeded to outscore 23-10 in the third quarter, and then hang on late as Sutherland poured in 25 points. McLane continued to stand out, too, earning 16 points as Amica earned 14 points.
In Saturday’s game at Utica Proctor, the Wildcats continued the turnaround, pulling out a 78-76 overtime victory over the Raiders.
So with a week’s worth of success, WG was back at the .500 mark (6-6) and looked to remain hot in back-to-back games against Henninger and Baldwinsville late this week.
