ONONDAGA COUNTY –
Going into the week at 1-1, the Jordan-Elbridge boys basketball team stayed at the break-even mark with a big win last Thursday night against undefeated Institute of Technology Central.
In this clash of Eagles sides, J-E prevailed 45-35, cranking up its defense and never letting ITC find any kind of rhythm, ultimately putting the game away by limiting the opposition to six points in the fourth quarter.
Wade Brunelle and Tyler Waldron accounted for most of J-E’s production, Brunelle getting 15 points and Waldron adding 11 points as Owen Barrigar got seven points.
Two nights earlier, J-E attempted to slow down Phoenix, but the Firebirds continued its surprising start, improving to 4-1 by holding off the Eagles 49-44.
J-E rallied from an early deficit to tie it, 25-25, at halftime, but were held to six points in the third quarter as Phoenix reclaimed the advantage.
Despite 16 points from Waldron and 12 points from Brunelle, the Firebirds held on, leaning heavily on guard Johnathan Dion, whose 25 points included four 3-pointers.
On the same Thursday that J-E beat ITC, Westhill met up with its neighbors from Marcellus, and it was the Warriors again emerging on top, defeating the Mustangs 56-45 to improve to 3-0 on the season.
Dominating on both ends, Westhill built a 44-21 lead through three quarters as Jimmy Kelly got 20 points, Sam Aversa had 16 points and Luke Gilmartin had 11 points. Marcellus got 12 points from Matt Kershaw and 11 points from Ryan Sammon.
Marcellus met CBA last Tuesday night and unable to keep up with the Brothers in a 69-45 defeat.
Right from the time CBA outscored them 21-8 in the first quarter, the Mustangs were in catch-up mode, with no one able to top the nine points put up by Matt Kershaw and Ryan Sammon.
Depth and balance helped the Brothers, who had 12 different players get on the scoreboard, led by Cody Miller’s 11 points and Dan Anderson’s 10 points.
Though it took a defeat to Christian Brothers Academy in their Feb. 18 “Holy War”, Bishop Ludden did not retreat any further.
In fact, the next time the Gaelic Knights took the court against Skaneateles five days later, it opened the game with a 28-8 first-quarter outburst on the way to sinking the Lakers 78-51.
Up 48-19 by halftime, Ludden cruised through the rest of the night as Jaiden Hollman hit five 3-pointers on his way to 22 points, helped by Jarin Beauford’s 19 points and Grant Baker’s 14 points.
Colin Gaglione, with 11 points, was the lone Skaneateles player to reach double figures, though Max Wamp and Miller Weir got close as Wamp had nine points and Weir got eight points.
From there, Skaneateles lost to Cazenovia 47-42 on Thursday, only to rebound on Friday with a 46-42 victory over Onondaga where it outscored the Tigers 18-12 in the fourth quarter to pull it out.
Ludden, meanwhile, pulled out a 55-53 decision over Syracuse Academy of Science, hanging on late after steadily building a 37-26 halftime advantage. Baker, Holloman and Nazier Kinsey each finished with 12 points, with Beaufort adding 11 points.
Solvay met up with ITC last Tuesday night and took a 56-43 defeat to the Eagles, Zach Bowen, Gerold Bean and Antonio Gonzalez had nine points apiece as Raquelle Isaac got 16 rebounds to go with his 13 points to lead ITC.
But the Bearcats won 57-47 over Cato-Meridian Thursday for its second win of the season, outscoring the Blue Devils 37-24 over the course of the second and third quarters.
Antonio Gonzalez set the pace for Solvay, getting 19 points. Nick Commisso, with 14 points, and Gerold Bean, with 10 points, were close behind as as Zach Bowen had eight points.
When up against reigning sectional Class C champion Weedsport on Saturday, the Bearcats lost 73-44, with only Zach Bowen getting into double figures with 12 points as Josh O’Connor paced the Warriors with 24 points.
