Now was the time for the area’s best boys basketball teams to get back to full strength or just get back on the court and assert itself with the regular-season homestretch looming.
Westhill had gone from the top of the state Class B rankings to completely unranked while dealing with multiple injuries as three starters missed most of back-to-back losses to Chittenango and Cazenovia.
But once Sean Dadey, Holden Carroll and Owen Matukas returned, the Warriors found its form again, starting with last Tuesday’s 83-50 romp over Institute of Technology Central.
After a sluggish start, Westhill outscored the Eagles 26-6 in the second quarter to take charge, and Dadey had little trouble finding his form again as he finished with 25 points.
Much of the rest of the production was spread out, with Carroll getting 10 points as John Geer had eight points. Dan Washburn got seven points as Matukas, Zechariah Brown and Ryan Gilmartin had six points apiece.
On Saturday, Westhill had its annual “Christopher Collins Classic” against Community Health Academy of the Heights, the New York City team coached by Michael King, son of Warriors head coach Kevin King.
Here, the older King’s team would prevail, Westhill edging CHAH 78-75 in a game where, for three quarters, the Warriors steadily seemed to get away, establishing a 66-49 margin.
Still, CHAH nearly made it up in the fourth quarter, outscoring Westhill 28-12. But the Warriors would hold on as Dadey, with 21 points, was one of five players to reach double figures.
Carroll was far better in his second game back in the lineup, earning 14 points as Geer picked up 13 points. Matukas got 11 points and Brown had 10 points as Westhill hit 10 3-pointers overall.
Bishop Ludden entered the week 9-4 and coming off a Jan. 17 loss to Rome Free Academy. The Gaelic Knights did not want to fall again as Bishop Grimes arrived last Thursday night to make up a game snowed out on Jan. 12.
Defense, and especially the resistance provided by freshman forward Jai Smith, helped Ludden beat the Cobras 47-41. Not once in any of the first three quarters did Grimes score even 10 points, only picking up its production down the stretch.
And even when that happened, Ludden traded baskets and stayed out in front, energized by Smith, who ,despite getting held to a single free-throw conversion on one end, still hurt the Cobras with 18 rebounds and eight blocks.
When the Gaelic Knights did score, it was spread around. Nic Button led with 12 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, while Sh’ikem Lee had 11 points. Vernell Reid and Monte Johnson had seven points apiece as Joe Connor contributed six points.
Meeting Victor (Section V) on Saturday, Ludden won again, topping the Blue Devils 67-56. A strong second quarter, where the Gaelic Knights went on a 15-7 run, erased an early deficit.
Then Ludden got away from Victor by having Connor put up 19 points, nine of them successful free throws. Lee had 14 points, with Button getting three 3-pointers on his way to 13 points overall and Smith adding 10 points.
Before all this, Ludden beat ITC 73-59 last Monday night, steadily accumulating most of its margin in the first three quarters, even though its defense struggled.
Lee led the Gaelic Knights with 23 points, while Button hit three 3-pointers as he and Connor both got 15 points. Smith had eight points as Edwin Seton paced ITC with 14 points.
Now with a win streak, Ludden, at 12-4, would host its neighbors from Westhill Tuesday night, using the occasion to pay its formal tribute to retiring head coach Pat Donnelly.
