Not waiting for the holiday break, the Cicero-North Syracuse girls basketball team traveled down to Orlando, Florida, and on Dec. 20 began a three-game appearance in a tournament at the Disney Wide World of Sports complex.
The opening game pitted C-NS against Horizon High School, from Scottsdale, Arizona, and despite having its full roster in place, the Northstars lost, 55-37, to the Huskies.
A strong first half helped C-NS gain a 27-21 edge, but Horizon caught up in the third quarter and then took advantage of not having a shot clock, containing C-NS throughout the homestretch as it outscored them 19-2 in the final period.
Jessica Cook and Morgan Siechen led C-NS with eight points apiece. Julia Rowe, returning to the lineup after missing a couple of weeks, had a single field goal.
A day later, it was the Northstars against Kings Park, a school in the Hudson Valley, where it turned things around in a big way and prevailed by a score of 56-23.
Already in front, C-NS used a 16-2 second-quarter surge to get away, with all 10 players that saw action getting on the scoreboard. Cook led with 12 points, but Siechen and Mackenzie White were close behind, getting 10 points apiece as Rowe earned six points.
In the final game of the tournament on Saturday the Northstars lost, 39-18, to North Kansas City (Missouri), the Hornets limiting C-NS to seven points or less in every single period as Rowe, with six points, was the lone player with more than one field goal.
Liverpool, by contrast, stayed at home and played twice late in the week, starting last Thursday when it took on Corcoran and, after squandering a second-half lead, regrouped in overtime to beat the Cougars 58-51.
A fast-paced first half saw the Warriors steadily build a 31-24 advantage, but Corcoran fought back and led, 41-40, after three periods, led by Aneesha Millhouse, who scored 19 points, and Diamond Gilbert, who picked up 14 rebounds.
Yet Liverpool was able to get back even, 50-50, by the end of regulation and then held the Cougars without a field goal in the four-minute OT period. Lexi Emmi and Amanda Barnell each had 15 points, Emmi hitting on three 3-pointers as Victoria Morgan got 12 points.
Then, on Saturday Liverpool hosted Norwich (Section IV) and lost, 67-49, to the Purple Tornado, who used a 19-9 run in the third quarter to get away after moving in front 36-26 during the first half.
Barnell did all she could for the Warriors, earning 22 points that included eight successful free throws. Emmi, with nine points, was the only other Liverpoool player close to double figures.
