For the Cazenovia girls basketball team, the busy schedule offered ample opportunities to get closer to the eight wins needed to reach the Section III playoffs.
At 5-8 going into last Monday’s game against New Hartford, the Lakers again saw itself struggle to make baskets for long stretches, which proved costly in a 54-36 loss to the Spartans.
Cazenovia was held to four points in the first quarter, and it didn’t get much better in the middle stages, either, New Hartford spreading out its lead to 46-19 before the third period ended as Kaia Henderson poured in 28 points for the Spartans, including four 3-pointers.
Only in the final minutes did the Lakers get something going. Lindsey Lawson finished with 15 points, while Katie Ammann had nine points and Madison West contributed six points.
Still at home to face Hannibal one night later, the Lakers suffered a 55-36 defeat, again finding itself too far behind after the Warriors steadily amassed a 47-26 lead in the first three quarters.
Lawson continued to play well, getting 16 points, but no one else had more than West and Hannah Matteson, who had six points apiece. Fouled often, Hannibal’s McKenzie Mattison earned 12 of her 17 points at the free-throw line.
Cazenovia traveled Thursday night to Altmar-Parish-Williamstown and did get its sixth win of the season, clawing past the Rebels 33-20 as it couldn’t put the game away until it had outscored APW 11-4 in the fourth quarter.
Nearly half the Lakers’ production came from Lawson, who had 15 points. West added six points as the rest of Cazenovia’s squad combined for just five field goals.
By contrast, Chittenango had already secured its place in the post-season, moving to 8-8 on the season last Wednesday night by pulling away late to beat Marcellus 52-42.
For the most part, the game was close until the fourth quarter ,when the Bears outscored the Mustangs 16-10. Ally Shoemaker was just two rebounds short of a triple-double, finishing with 15 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, plus three steals.
To help out Shoemaker, Emily Moon secured a team-high 17 points, while Cassidy Kelly had 10 rebounds to go with seven points. Alivia Narolis had six points as Mei LaMarre led Marcellus with 13 points and Emma MacLachlan added 10 points.
Now the Bears were set to face state Class B no. 5-ranked Bishop Ludden Friday night, but it got snowed out. Cazenovia, at 6-10, needed to go 2-2 the rest of the way to reach the playoffs, and would face CBA and ITC/Fowler this week.
