Even during a high-profile opening week of area high school boys basketball, one story stood out above all the others – Manlius-Pebble Hill shocking Tully 69-58 last Wednesday night, which was historic on several levels.
First of all, it ended a streak of 33 consecutive defeats for the Trojans, which was significant enough. That it came against Tully, the reigning Section III Class C champions and a state final four participant last winter, made it more of a landmark accomplishment.
MPH, coached by Jim Ryan, went 0-18 a season ago, and had just one victory in 2016-17. Many of the current Trojans players endured all of those losses, so what it did against Tully was a sweet reward for those vast struggles.
MPH did not wilt when the Black Knights steadily built a 36-27 halftime edge. Instead, it cranked up on defense and got red-hot from the field, too, outscoring Tully 23-5 in the third quarter to charge out in front.
And the Trojans stayed there with solid play down the stretch. Kendale Thompson had 26 points, including four 3-pointers, while Alex Abrams had 13 points, with Ahmad El-Hindi and Matt Ficano getting 12 points apiece and Grant Lewis adding six points. Tully lost despite 30 points from Jake Edinger.
Now the question was whether this magic would last into the weekend. MPH was hosting its annual Tip-Off Tournament, taking on Blessed Virgin Mary in the first round as Faith Heritage faced Rochester’s Allendale Columbia.
The Trojans did make it back-to-back wins, handling BVM 61-46 and, in this case, it started fast, outscoring the Saints 21-5 in the first quarter and eventually building a 45-21 halftime edge.
Though it struggled in the late going, MPH still had Thompson finish with 27 points, including a trio of 3-pointers. Abrams remained steady with 14 points as Lewis and El-Hindi had six points apiece.
Saturday’s final renewed a rivalry long present in boys soccer between MPH and Faith Heritage after those Saints had beaten Rochester’s Harley Allendale 63-43 in the other opening-round contest.
Only here did the magic run out, with the Saints prevailing 80-57. Faith jumped all over MPH in a 26-8 first-quarter blitz, extending that margin to 48-30 by halftime and never letting the Trojans get closer.
Thompson still managed 33 points, but no other MPH player hit double figures as Abrams (nine points) and Lewis (seven points) came close.
By contrast, the Saints had Aiden Retzos get 34 points and Gio Oliver step up with 26 points and 15 rebounds as Jeremiah Reid had 13 points, seven assists and five rebounds.
MPH has just one game this week, a Tuesday-night visit to Onondaga, and then is off until a Dec. 10 visit to Altmar-Parish-Williamstown.
