ONONDAGA COUNTY – What the Liverpool boys basketball team will experience on Tuesday night is the closest approximation to a championship game among the large-school ranks this winter.
It’s the 7-0 Warriors against the 6-0 West Genesee Wildcats, a showdown of the last two state Class AA champions (Liverpool in 2018, WG in 2019) in their lone encounter of the season.
In the lead-up to the clash last week, Liverpool had to play Fayetteville-Manlius twice in as many nights, claiming the first of these battles on its home court last Tuesday by a score of 62-54.
Entering the night with a 3-1 record, the Hornets did not flinch even as the Warriors led through most of the game, ultimately working its way back to tie it, 40-40, by the end of the third quarter.
Down the stretch, though, Liverpool went back in front for good, securing it behind Jacob Works earning 17 points, Andreo Ash getting 12 points and Jah’Deuir Reese adding 10 points. Jack Nucerino (17 points) and Luke Davidson (15 points) paced F-M.
The rematch on the Hornets’ home floor 24 hours later followed the exact same pattern, close and contentious for three periods before the Warriors surged late, this time for a 65-49 victory.
When the final period started, Liverpool and F-M were again tied, 41-41. The key to the Warriors’ late getaway was having three reliable scoring threats as opposed to the Hornets’ two.
Ash led this time with 18 points, with Works getting 15 points and Bruce Wingate stepping up, earning 13 points. By contrast, only two Hornets, Davidson (19 points) and Nucerino (12 points), hit double figures.
Saturday’s game against Corcoran continued this Warriors run. On Senior Day, those same late-game heorics emerged again to help Liverpool turn back the Cougars 77-63.
Despite its 1-4 mark, Corcoran played a strong game, erasing most of the Warriors’ 42-31 halftime lead during the third quarter as Avion Granger led the visitors, putting up 23 points.
Again, though, when pushed, Liverpool answered, holding the Cougars to just eight points in the final period while Works worked his total to 28 points and got lots of help, with Reese and Jaiden Reynolds both earning 12 points and Ash getting 11 points.
While all this was going on, Cicero-North Syracuse, who nearly knocked off Liverpool on Feb. 19 and would get another shot at the Warriors March 13, was finding more success.
The Northstars handled Baldwinsville 71-46 last Tuesday night, doing most of its damage while racing out to a 42-22 halftime advantage.
Once again, Luke Paragon led the way, scoring 19 points, including a trio of 3-pointers. Brian Bonin had 15 points, with Noah Wieczorek adding 13 points and Reece Congel getting eight points.
C-NS was just as impressive Friday night against Nottingham, closing each half with a surge to get away and defeat the Bulldogs 59-36.
During the second quarter, the Northstars outscored Nottingham 18-7, and when the game remained in doubt until the final period, C-NS put it away with a 20-5 push.
Though Paragon, with 16 points, was the only Northstar in double figures, Wieczorek and Jerrod Hills each got nine points and Bonin earned eight points. Deandre McGrew led the Bulldogs with nine points.
