More than nine months after they waged a classic battle for the Section III Class AA girls basketball championship, Cicero-North Syacuse and West Genesee and Cicero-North Syracuse reunited, and again it proved memorable.
The two-time defending champion Wildcats overcame a nine-point deficit in the second half of last Tuesday night’s game at C-NS, then surrendered an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter before pulling out a 55-52, overtime victory over the Northstars.
From the outset, the game was played with post-season intensity, even though each side had only one game in the books. WG had won its opener Nov. 29 over CBA, with C-NS prevailing over Baldwinsville on Dec. 4.
Helped by 10-0 runs that closed both the first and second quarters, the Northstars maintained control, and were up 36-27 early in the third quarter.
But WG picked up its defensive pressure and forced C-NS into all kinds of mistakes. For more than eight minutes, the Northstars were unable to convert a field goal and, worse yet, star forward Jessica Cook found herself saddled with four fouls.
The Wildcats went on a 19-2 run, Catie Cunningham sparking WG’s attack, pouring in all 22 of her points in the first three quarters. But after Mackenzie Smith’s layup and free throw with 4:35 left that made it 48-40, the Wildcats were shut out for the rest of regulation, giving C-NS ample time to break out of its drought and catch up.
Back-to-back 3-pointers by Alexandra Miller and Morgan Siechen cut WG’s lead to two. Then, with 36.4 seconds left, Cook, who led C-NS with 20 points, hit a driving layup, and when Mackenzie Smith’s long 3-point attempt to win it in the waning seconds fell off the rim, it went to overtime 48-48.
They were still tied, 52-52, when WG’s defense won it. C-NS had the ball in the last minute of OT when pressure forced a loose ball that Mackenzie Smith ran down, and she converted the go-ahead basket, giving her 20 points for the night.
Seconds later, the Northstars turned it over again, and WG managed to keep the ball away until, fouled with 1.8 seconds left, Madison Smith hit one of two free throws.
Still with a chance to force a second OT, C-NS, from midcourt, passed it to Mackenzie White, whose 3-pointer fell short as the clock ran out. The Wildcats and Northstars meet again Jan. 15 in Camillus.
Liverpool watched all this, knowing that it would face West Genesee two nights later. But when it got its turn, the Warriors saw just how stingy the Wildcats could be as it took a 55-34 defeat.
Held to six points in the first quarter, Liverpool did make some inroads in the second period, only to get contained again as WG used an 18-5 push through the third period to get away.
No Warriors player reached double figures as Amanda Barnell led with nine points, while Lexi Emmi, Bella Barner and Karlyssa Shifflett had six points apiece. Mackenzie Smith got 13 points to lead the Wildcats, helped by Cunningham (10 points) and Kaitlyn Walker, who got 11 points.
Both sides played again Saturday, Liverpool at Utica Proctor as C-NS took on Corcoran at Onondaga Community College’s Allyn Hall.
The Warriors beat Proctor 62-50, doing most of its damage early as it led 19-12 through one period and then erupted for 28 points in the second quarter to get away from the Raiders.
Emmi set a career mark with 24 points, hitting on four 3-pointers, with Barnell close behind as she got 22 points. Meanwhile, C-NS routed Corcoran 70-31 and looked ahead to facing the Warriors Tuesday night.
