When the first state Class AA boys basketball rankings of the season were released early last week, West Genesee found itself holding the no. 22 spot, best among Section III sides, three spots ahead of Corcoran.
But that wouldn’t mean much unless the state Class AA no. 22-ranked Wildcats held serve in its first two home games of the season, starting with last Tuesday’s Salt City Athletic Conference Metro division opener against Cicero-North Syracuse.
And this turned into quite a battle, with each possession a struggle and each basket hard-earned, but it was WG who made the key plays down the stretch to edge the Northstars 50-49.
The only reason the Wildcats were able to survive a dry first quarter where it scored just five points was that its own defense contained C-NS, and continued to do so enough that WG was able to recover and tie it, 20-20, by halftime.
Gradually, the pace picked up in the second half. As the third quarter wound down, the Wildcats, down one, zoomed in front on Will Amica’s long-range 3-pointer, and the duel continued all the way to the final seconds.
Despite 25 points by C-NS’s Anthony Tricarico, WG pulled it out as Amica finished with 18 points, and production was otherwise spread around. Adam Dudzinski had nine points, with John Benson (eight points), Lucas Sutherland (seven points) and Jack McLane (six points) close behind.
Then, on Friday, WG hosted Liverpool, the reigning state Class AA champions, but a side that had stumbled to an 0-4 start and had just blown a double-digit fourth-quarter lead to Baldwinsville earlier in the week.
The Wildcats made sure that the Warriors didn’t recover from that B’ville loss, roaring past them 73-48 as its defense consistently clamped down, especially on Kyle Butler, Liverpool’s lone returning starter from a season ago, who was held to just two points.
Sutherland was a much bigger presence on the offensive end, getting 19 points as Amica finished with 16 points. Each of the 10 WG players that saw action earned at least one field goal as Benson had nine points, Christian Rossi seven points and McLane six points.
Bishop Ludden was not ranked, but after splitting its first two games, the Gaelic Knights went to Rochester last Monday night and, against Aquinas, beat the Little Irish 77-70 with a career-best performance by Nic Button.
Aquinas, who had lost to Jamesville-DeWitt earlier in the month, hung right with Ludden throughout the game, nearly erasing a 31-25 deficit with a third-quarter scoring surge.
Again, though, the Gaelic Knights played well down the stretch and prevailed, Button not letting up until he had poured in 34 points, including five 3-pointers.
Plenty of help came from Monte Johnson, who finished with 20 points as Mykell Kaigler got nine points, with Champ Reid and Tyler Webster earning seven points apiece.
Back home Friday night, Ludden faced 2-1 Chittenango, who had to replace all of its starters from a team that lost to Westhill in each of the last two sectional Class B title games.
The Gaelic Knights proceeded to pummel the Bears 67-29, its defense stifling Chittenango most of the way and its offense making a breakthrough in the third quarter, when it outscored Chittenango 29-6.
Kaigler was terrific again, earning 19 points as Button finished with 17 points. Patrick Anson got nine points as Reid and Webster each gained eight points.
In Saturday’s game against state Class A no. 2-ranked Albany Academy, Ludden was overwhelmed in a 91-42 defeat, its record falling to 3-2 overall.
