A magical start for the Jordan-Elbridge boys basketball team continued with its fourth consecutive victory – all of it done while still waiting for two key players (Dakota Holbrook and L.J. Barrigar) to return from injuries.
This proved the most stressful of all as the Eagles, hosting Vernon-Verona-Sherrill last Wednesday night, were pushed to the final seconds, but still did enough to defeat the Red Devils 56-54.
Again, it was Jeremiah Sparks proving difficult to contain as he led J-E to a 32-24 halftime advantage. Throughout the second half, Sparks continued to sink crucial baskets, finishing with 31 points as Alex Pond (nine points) and Mitch Holt (seven points) helped out.
Still, VVS, with a more balanced attack led by Phoenix Weydig (15 points) and Andrew Fox (13 points), ate into the Eagles’ margin and only trailed by a field goal possessing the ball in the game’s final seconds.
Just when it was needed, though, J-E stepped up on defense, with Deacon Hill executing a crucial steal that kept the Red Devils from tying or winning it.
Having taken a narrow defeat to Cicero-North Syracuse in its Dec. 1 opener, Bishop Ludden got new head coach Gallgher Driscoll his first win three nights later at Buckley Gym when the Gaelic Knights defeated Cazenovia 76-61.
Playing at the tempo it wanted from the outset, Ludden did most of its damage in the first half, when it built a 42-27 advantage, enough to withstand anything the Lakers threw at them in the late going.
It helped, too, that Champ Reid enjoyed the best game of his Gaelic Knights career, pouring in 29 points with help from Nic Button (16 points) and Mykell Kaigler, who set his own career mark by getting 15 points. Tyler Webster chimed in with 10 points.
Solvay had started 2-0 prior to last Tuesday’s game against Fulton, but fell 74-58 to the Red Raiders, who steadily built its lead during the first half and extended the margin to 58-40 by the end of the third period.
Brock Bagozzi led the Bearcats with 16 points, mostly from four 3-pointers. Justin Scott had 15 points, with McKyle Sands and Elijah Wright getting 11 points apiece. For Fulton, Jake Gugula had 23 points and Seth Grimshaw finished with 17 points.
Quickly recovering, Solvay routed Altmar-Parish-Williamstown 70-37 on Thursday, using an 18-6 second-quarter push to erase an early deficit and then running away late with a 23-4 domination of the fourth quarter.
Eight different players finished with at least five points, but none had more than the 13 from Bagozzi as Robby Clark got 12 points and Jacob Fragale had 11 points. Scott got eight points and Connor Lee seven points.
On Saturday, in the Syracuse Showcase Basketball Invitational, Solvay faced Institute of Technology Central and again had a strong showing with an 85-63 victory over the Eagles.
Building a 41-30 lead by halftime, Solvay never let ITC get closer as Clark, helped by four 3-pointers, poured in 24 points. Close behind him, Bagozzi had 21 points, with Scott getting to 16 points and Wright earning 10 points.
Westhill found itself at home against Bishop Grimes last Wednesday night, where despite a terrific effort from Zach Brown, its slow start proved costly in a 64-56 defeat to the Cobras.
David Mo set the game’s tone for Grimes, pouring in 10 points during the first quarter, as much as the entire Westhill squad. The Cobras took it from there, eventually building a 34-19 advantage by intermission.
For the most part, Grimes maintained that margin until the fourth quarter, when the Warriors charged, led by Brown, who had carried his team’s offense early and then kept on going until he finished with a game-high 29 points.
Grimes held on in large part because Mo, who got 23 points, had some more substantial help, especially from T.J. Bradford, who had 12 points. Other than Brown, the next-best Westhill scorer was Ryan Gilmartin, with seven points as Liam Sanborn got six points.
It would not be easy for Marcellus during its opening week of the season as it had to face an East Syracuse Minoa side that had already played four games in last Tuesday night’s opener.
The Mustangs lost, 50-38, the game close and low-scoring until the third quarter, when the Spartans, led by Devin Mascato-Buffaloe (who finished with 19 points), outscored Marcellus 18-10 to develop most of its cushion.
No Mustangs player could reach double figures, with Tristan Jarvi, Jared Sammon and Connor Rogalia each getting eight points as Matt Kershaw added seven points.
Up against rival Skaneateles Friday night, the Mustangs lost again, 58-46, staying close until the third quarter, when the Lakers built its margin to double digits as Jack Canty, who finished with 20 points, led the way. Kershaw led Marcellus with 11 points, while Rogalia gained 10 points.
