Back-to-back mid-January home defeats to CBA and Skaneateles had left the Cazenovia boys basketball team in the position of having to find some good news on the road.
And when the Lakers trailed Marcellus for most of last Tuesday night’s game, further trouble loomed – but Drew Johnson helped Cazenovia roar back and, with a big finish, defeat the Mustangs 67-58.
A fast-paced first half saw Marcellus go out in front, and even when the Lakers’ defense played well in the third quarter, it still trailed 48-40 heading to the final period.
Cazenovia brought it all back, though, getting a series of baskets to catch up and go out in front during those last eight minutes and then sealing the rally with a series of free throws.
Johnson spent a lot of time at the line, eventually converting 15 free throws on his way to 31 points overall. Ryan Romagnoli had 14 points, with Kevin Ammann adding 10 points and Mike Parella getting six points.
On Friday night, Cazenovia went after an even bigger road win at Westhill, but the reigning two-time Section III Class B champions denied it, a superb effort falling just short in a 59-55 defeat to the Warriors.
Neither team could gain any kind of separation during the game. Even when Westhill inched its way to a 26-21 halftime lead, Cazenovia kept with them, and even inched in front, 41-40, early in the fourth quarter.
However, the Warriors went back in front late and hung on as Zach Brown and Liam Sanborn each hit four 3-pointers, Brown finishing with 18 points and Sanborn getting 13 points as Dan Washburn had 10 points.
Johnson could not quite match his Solvay numbers, but still led all scorers with 20 points. Ty Freyer stepped up with a career-best 15 points, while Ammann and Mike Parrella had six points apiece.
The loss dipped Cazenovia’s record to 7-9, with home games this week against Holland Patent and Jordan-Elbridge and one win still needed to lock up a sectional playoff berth.
Chittenango hosted Oneida last Tuesday night, looking to follow up on its own win at Marcellus Jan. 18, but unable to do so as the Bears lost, 52-46, to the Indians in overtime.
They went back and forth in the first half, Chittenango erasing an early deficit by outscoring Oneida 14-5 in the second quarter. Yet it could not build on that run and saw the Indians inch back.
Eventually, Oneida tied it 43-43 and forced OT, where it held the Bears to three points. Prior to that, Paul Wood had 14 points, with Noah Schnauffer getting 13 points and Evan Smith adding eight points.
Having missed a chance to get back to the .500 mark, Chittenango met Christian Brothers Academy on Saturday and fell to the Brothers 60-53, a game that the Bears led most of the way and still had even, 40-40, going to the fourth quarter.
But CBA went ahead late, mostly on the strength of 23 points from Aaron Clendenin and 20 points from Nick Valenti. Wood was held to eight points, something the rest of the Chittenango roster could not make up for, though Evan Smith had 12 points and Schnauffer 11 points. Brian Schermerhorn got nine points and Vincente Cameron added seven points.
A busy week for the Bears includes three games in four days (weather permitting), all on the road, with trips to Mexico, Oneida and Institute of Technology Central.
