Life now goes on for the Liverpool boys basketball team, but as it already knows, it won’t be easy.
From a trip to the state Class AA final four in 2017 to a first-ever New York State Public High School Athletic Association title last winter, the Warriors enjoyed an historic two-season run.
Now, though, most of the players responsible for that success, from Charles Pride and Naz Johnson to Noah Issakainen, Alan Willmes and Peter Cerrone, are gone.
Head coach Ryan Blackwell did bring back the likes of Kyle Butler, Jake Piseno, Alex ruston and Matt Senecal, and added a transfer from New York City, Romeo Clarke, a solid core of players determined to make their own mark.
Right away, though, the Warriors got an idea of the challenge ahead, overwhelmed last Friday night by Niagara Falls 71-42 in the 15th annual Peppino’s Invitational at Onondaga Community College’s Allyn Hall.
Niagara Falls, the reigning Section VI champions, put out a starting five with no player taller than 6-foot-2, and since Liverpool was similarly constructed, the pace was frantic at the outset, neither side with much room to work in the face of all-out pressure.
But everything changed when Butler and Clarke went to the bench with two fouls early in the second quarter. Not saddled with foul trouble, the Wolverines smothered the Warriors and outscored them 27-1 in a prolonged run that went deep into the third quarter.
Not until the second half did Liverpool even make a 3-pointer, and no player had more than the seven points from Butler, who left the game by the fourth quarter. Clarke had six points, as did Jack Pento and Lateef Edwards.
Meanwhile, Niagara Falls pulled far away, led by Jalen Bradberry, who had 17 points. Josiah Harris put in 11 points, while Taylor Sanders finished with 10 points.
Seeing all this happen, Cicero-North Syracuse hoped for a better start Saturday night when it faced Bishop Ludden, And in a game that had a unique family dynamic to it, one brother got the best of another and the Northstars prevailed 71-69.
The headline going into the game was the debut of Ludden’s new head coach, Gallagher Driscoll, who had replaced the retired Pat Donnelly.
Of greater consequence, though, was the fact that senior Nick Demonte started for C-NS and his brother, John, was a starter for the Gaelic Knights, and most of the night they were on the court together, giving an all-out effort.
C-NS trailed most of the first half, but jumped out in front 52-47 during the third quarter, only to have Ludden catch up at 54-54, leading to an exciting final period.
The Gaelic Knights scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter, only to have C-NS make a 9-0 run of its own. The trade continued until, at 65-65, Nick Demonte broke the tie, his layup and free throw putting the Northstars ahead to stay.
After Tyler Webster’s free throws cut the margin to 68-67, Nick Demonte converted again with 28 seconds left, a basket answered by Monte Johnson’s lay-up that again made it a one-point contest.
Up 70-69, C-NS worked it to Anthony Tricarico, who was fouled with 11.6 seconds to play. Tricarico made one of two free throws, giving Ludden a chance to tie or win it – but the Northstars’ defense turned away two Gaelic Knights chances as the clock ran out.
Nick Demonte finished with 18 points, a number that Justin Delvecchio matched as Tricarico gained 16 points. Nick Button paced Ludden with 21 points as Johnson got 17 points and Champ Reid had 13 points.
C-NS would look for back-to-back wins Tuesday at Rome Free Academy and then hosts CBA Friday night. Liverpool takes on Corcoran Friday and Utica-Notre Dame Saturday.
