A series of dramatic victories had pushed the Liverpool boys basketball team to a 4-1 record and a no. 22 spot in the state Class AA rankings during Christmas week.
Then, just as quickly, the Warriors’ magic vanished as it dropped two games last weekend to Section II opponents at Rome Free Academy.
First, Liverpool fell to Colonie 63-53, unable to overcome a first half where the Garnet Raiders steadily built a 31-19 advantage.
Unable to produce its previous late-game magic, the Warriors had Jack Pento pick up 11 points, with Kyle Caves and Romeo Clarke getting eight points apiece.
Then, a day later, it was Albany’s Green Tech handling the Warriors 75-53, a result more remarkable because Liverpool started well, up 15-2 before the Eagles outscored them 45-18 over the course of the next two periods.
Only the 22 points from Jacob Works kept things from getting worse. No other Liverpool player hit double figures as Caves had eight points, Pento seven points and Clarke six points.
While all this was going on, Cicero-North Syracuse was in the East Syracuse Minoa Christmas Tournament, taking yet another close defeat before finally winning its first game of the season.
It was state Class A no. 13-ranked Whitesboro edging the Northstars 45-43 in Friday’s opening round, the game played on even terms from start to finish as it was tied, 30-30, through three periods.
Only in the final seconds did Whitesboro hold C-NS off, helped by 16 points from G Bushey and 13 points from Griff Sciortino.
Brayden McLean and Brian Bonin led the Northstars with 10 points apiece, Bonin adding five rebounds. Grant Sennett had nine points and seven rebounds as Luke Paragon got seven points and six rebounds.
The seven-game skid ended Saturday when C-NS routed Carthage 70-32 in the consolation game. To a large degree, a month’s worth of frustration was taken out on the Comets.
Steadily, a 39-17 halftime margin was gained, and the Northstars closed 21-2 as McLean led with 18 points. Paragon got 14 points as Kevin Felasco had 12 points, seven rebounds and Five assists. Sennett had eight points and Nick D’avirro managed seven points and six rebounds.
C-NS takes on Fayetteville-Manlius and Corcoran next week as Liverpool welcomes Baldwinsville and Nottingham to Onondaga Community College’s Allyn Hall in the first full week of 2020.
