Having endured enough close calls against high-caliber opposition this season, the Jamesville-DeWitt girls basketball team may have felt more concern early in last Tuesday’s game against Cortland.
Already in first place in the SCAC Empire division but with a chance to strengthen that advantage, the Red Rams had a difficult first quarter and trailed the second-place Purple Tigers 12-10.
For the rest of the night, though, J-D’s defense was close to perfect, only allowing a handful of field goals as the Rams eventually prevailed by a score of 47-23.
Cortland was 12-1 going into the game, but its lone defeat was to J-D 58-33 back on Dec. 13. Here, the Rams proved even more stingy, not allowing more than four points in any of the last three quarters.
Though it had its own struggles from the floor, J-D did enough thanks to some 3-pointers that fell. Momo LaClair had three of them on her way to 14 points, while Maci Durkin converted twice from beyond the arc as she had eight points. Everly Kessler and Riley LaTray had five points apiece.
In yet another tough non-league game on Saturday, J-D lost 65-43 to Bishop Guertin (New Hampshire), never recovering from Guertin’s 21-5 opening burst despite 14 points from LaClair and 13 points from Paige Keeler.
Back on Friday night, Christian Brothers Academy got another big win when it knocked off state Class B no. 13-ranked Marcellus 64-49 and put an end to the Mustangs’ 10-game win streak.
In large part, the first half decided matters. Torrid shooting from the likes of Brooke Jarvis and Leana Heitmann devastated Marcellus as CBA steadily amassed a 41-24 lead.
That proved too much to overcome, Jarvis finishing with 26 points and Heitmann adding 21 points. Emily Hall helped with 11 points as Hannah Durand (14 points) and Katie MacLachlan (13 points) paced Marcellus.
J-D would rest up for a week before Tuesday’s game at East Syracuse Minoa as the Spartans lost last Tuesday to Fulton in a 52-38 decision.
Here, the Spartans were up 16-14 through one period before the Red Raiders took charge, getting 14 points apiece from Alena Wright and Gabriella Raponi.
On ESM’s side, only Angelina Polcaro, with 14 points, hit double figures. Raychel Underwood had seven points, with Lailani Carrion adding six points.
Turning around on Thursday, the Spartans handled Watertown 59-35, but then would host Oswego on Friday and fall 33-24, held to two points in the fourth quarter. Catie Lilly led the Buccaneers with 16 points.
Bishop Grimes had suddenly found itself in a bit of a slump, taking its third consecutive defeat last Tuesday night when it lost 51-31 to Whitesboro.
Though only with a 9-5 mark, the Warriors used a 27-12 push through the second and third quarters to get away from the Cobras, who were led by Jenna Sloan’s nine points. Kiley Snow (13 points) and Grace Stuhlman (12 points) set the pace for Whitesboro.
After all this, Grimes was glad to see winless Jordan-Elbridge on Friday night and broke its skid with ease, handling the Eagles 62-26.
Holding J-E to nine points in the first half, the Cobras could spread things around, and did so. Lora Marial had 13 points, with Nayweil Ayeil getting 10 points. Rhonee Shea Pal got nine points as Sloan, Rosalie Vincent and McKenna Squier had seven points apiece.
