As the season has worn on, what’s clear for the Cazenovia girls basketball team is that it is most effective when it can shut down an opponent, rather than try to outscore them.
That certainly worked for the Lakers in last Monday’s game against Central Valley Academy at Buckley Gym, where long droughts by the Thunder helped Cazenovia take control and eventually prevail 39-28.
While the Lakers’ production in the first half was modest, it was quite good when compared with CVA, held in check early and then nearly shut out in the second quarter as Cazenovia limited the Thunder to two points.
Still, when CVA made its own brief surge in the third quarter, the Lakers, having gone cold, only led 27-20, requiring a strong finish and big numbers again from Lindsey Lawson.
Aside from her 18 points, Lawson pulled down 24 rebounds, recorded four blocks and got four steals. Hannah Matteson helped with 11 points and four rebounds, while Carleigh Szalach got nine rebounds. Julia Bauder had five points, five rebounds and three assists.
Now at 6-4 on the season, Cazenovia visited Skaneateles on Thursday night, and provided, for all to see, a prime example of its most successful approach while rolling to a 48-28 victory in this latest Laker clash.
Hot shooting at the outset produced a 16-9 lead by the end of the first quarter. Then Cazenovia slumped, but Skaneateles was worse, held to just two points in the second period.
And any doubts about the outcome ended when Cazenovia closed 13-5 during the fourth quarter, not only containing Skaneateles, but having Lawson work her total to 21 points as Szalach finished with 10 points and Matteson added nine points.
The Lakers took a 47-37 defeat to state-ranked Class C side Little Falls on Saturday, keeping things close until the fourth quarter, when it was outscored 15-7. Lawson had 18 points, with Geena Morotti (15 points) and Alexis Perrone (11 points) pacing the Mounties.
After that, Cazenovia (7-5) would return to Buckley Gym for games this week against General Brown and Marcellus.
Chittenango, who entered the week 6-3, had a big game last Tuesday against perennial power Westhill. The Bears were on even terms most of the night, but paid dearly for a rough start in a 55-45 loss to the Warriors.
Westhill jumped out 16-5 in the first quarter, which Chittenango spent the rest of the night trying to erase. Ally Shoemaker led that effort, accumulating 16 points and a season-best 12 steals to go with five rebounds and five assists.
Emily Moon had 11 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and three assists, with Cassidy Kelly adding 10 rebounds and seven points as Mekenzie Dahlin got eight points.
Westhill withstood every Bears comeback, though, with a balanced attack where Mackenzie Martin, who led with 13 points, was closely followed by Erica Gangemi, Catherine Dadey (10 points each), Jenna Larrabee and Imani Watts (nine points each).
With the loss, Chittenango fell to 6-4, ahead of a busy stretch this week where, in a span of four days, it would take on Cortland, Mexico and CBA.
