Both Jessica Cook and her Cicero-North Syracuse girls basketball teammates had absorbed plenty of punishment at the expense of elite competition both inside and outside New York State in December.
But as the calendar turned to 2020, the Northstars, well-rested and quite eager to apply all the lessons learned along the way, reminded everyone what it could still do – and at the expense of one of its main rivals.
Liverpool would meet up with C-NS last Friday at Onondaga Community College’s Allyn Hall, and it turned into a showcase on many levels for Cook as her Northstars handled the Warriors 64-32.
From the opening tip, the main story was how Cook could find herself open in the pain and convert, and she didn’t let up until she had set a new career mark with 38 points, which included 18 field goals and two free throws.
Along the way, Cook earned her 1,000th career point, joining luminaries like Breanna Stewart and Amani Free as she continues to climb the school’s all-time scoring list.
As this went on, C-NS’s defense smothered Liverpool, with only Victoria Morgan producing on a consistent basis as she finished with 10 points. A Carey-Santangelo had seven points and A Kulakowski six points for the Northstars.
C-NS needed the boost, havingdropped three consecutive games from Dec. 19 to 21 in the Nike Tournament of Champions in Arizona and seeing its overall record dip to 3-5 (it had lost to Shenendehowa and Averill Park earlier in the month).
Liverpool, meanwhile, had gone to the Colonie Tournament and, in the Dec. 26 opening round against the host Garnet Raiders, played three tremendous quarters before it all fell apart late in a 57-52 defeat.
All went well early, the Warriors playing strong defense and steadily building a 30-16 halftime advantage, and then adding to that margin in the third quarter, leading by 21 at one point.
Entering the fourth quarter, it was still 46-28, but a series of turnovers, forced by pressure, and red-hot shooting by Colonie erased most of that deficit.
With two minutes left, It was 50-46, but led by Ahnalese Pearson, who scored the last nine points of the game and 18 overall, the Garnet Raiders closed with an 11-2 push.
Morgan, in defeat, had 18 points, with Michelle Lonczak and Julia Wike each getting eight points as Sarah Miles gained seven points.
Now Liverpool had to try and recover in the Dec. 27 consolation game against Catholic Central, who had lost to state Class A no. 1-ranked Averill Park 64-20 the day before.
Showing some admirable resolve, the Warriors defeated Catholic 59-46, and this time it was the Warriors making the late comeback, overcoming a 28-24 halftime deficit with steady second-half production.
Wingate led the way, amassing 20 points and 16 rebounds, both of them career marks. Morgan got 14 points, five rebounds and three assists, while Miles had nine points and nine rebounds. Wike again had eight points.
Following the defeat to C-NS, Liverpool faces undefeated Baldwinsville next Tuesday and Nottingham next Friday at OCC, while the Northstars visit Fayetteville-Manlius and host Corcoran those same nights.
