Hunger and intensity burned throughout Friday night’s boys basketball battle between Skaneateles and Marcellus, the two neighbors and rivals each determined to maintain undefeated marks.

And it was the Lakers finishing on top, leaning heavily on its defense during a couple of key stretches late in the game to push its way to a 59-53 victory over the Mustangs.

Skaneateles entered the night at 3-0, with Marcellus at 2-0. Each of them had already earned key early-season OHSL Liberty division victories in narrow decisions over another big rival, Westhill.

And it wasn’t a surprise that their first of two regular-season encounters would prove close from start to finish.

Marcellus would twice in the first half build healthy margins, using a 9-2 run in the first quarter to go in front 15-9, and then working its way to a 28-21 lead late in the second period.

Both times, Skaneateles caught up, and it was junior forward Nate Fouts that pushed his team in front by hitting three 3-pointers, accounting for nearly half of his game-high 20 points.

Marcellus absorbed this, and didn’t get derailed, either, when it went nearly six minutes without a field goal. Instead, down 46-41, it put together eight straight points and led 49-46 with less than four minutes left.

Once more, though, the Lakers clamped down on defense, and put together a timely 9-0 spurt capped by Max Wamp’s 3-pointer. And after Matt Kershaw’s three-point play cut the Marcellus deficit to 55-52 with 1:52 play, the Mustangs were shut out the rest of the way.

It was Fouts and Jack Whirtley. who had 14 points, pacing the Lakers’ attack. Kershaw got 15 points to lead Marcellus, with Will Kimber contributing 13 points.