ONONDAGA COUNTY – They brought the renewed Zebra Classic to Liverpool High School’s new gymnasium on the weekend of Dec. 18 and 19, with the boys and girls Warriors both a focal point.
Liverpool’s boys would play a pair of games, dead-set on atonement after surrendering a late double-digit lead in a 73-66 loss to West Genesee in its Dec. 16 league opener.
All looked fine when the Warriors, playing at a quick pace and well-balanced in its attack, controlled the game through much of the first three periods, building a 55-40 advantage.
Then WG’s Christian Cain keyed an 8-0 run to close that third quarter, which only hinted at what took place after Andreo Ash scored with less than five minutes left to build Liverpool’s advantage to 60-51.
Picking up its defense, the Wildcats held the Warriors without a field goal until the waning seconds while, on the other end, putting together near-flawless execution during a 20-2 run.
Cain led that comeback, putting in the go-ahead basket with 2:28 left that broke a 61-61 tie. Of his 27 points, 19 of them came in the second half as Christian Amica added 15 points and Gary McLane 11 points.
Ash had 17 points to pace the Warriors, Jaiden Reynolds adding 15 points and Jacob Works earning 10 points ahead of Jake Socker’s nine points and Bruce Wingate’s eight points.
Two days later in the Zebra Classic, Liverpool faced Rochester’s University Prep and, once again, found itself with a sizable lead in the latter stages, but this time was able to hang on and win 61-56 over the Griffins.
What kept U-Prep from pulling it out was the balance in the Warriors’ attack. Works earned eight of his 16 points at the free-throw line as Reynolds gained 12 points and Ash had 10 points, with Wingate contributing nine points.
Then it was the Warriors against Poughkeepsie on Dec. 19, and this one wasn’t as close, Liverpool prevailing 70-48 as it outscored the Pioneers in every single quarter, starting with a quick 21-12 opening period.
Works earned 16 points for the second conseuctive day, just ahead of Shontez Anderson, who set a career mark with 15 points. Socker earned 10 points and Bruce Wingate picked up eight points.
Now Liverpool would face back-to-back city foes, and by the time it was done with Nottingham and Henninger, it would have played five times in seven days.
The Nottingham game was a particularly good effort, with the Warriors limiting the Bulldogs to five points in the first quarter and pulling further away for a 75-52 victory.
Remaining consistent in his production, Works, with 19 points, led four Liverpool players to score in double figures. Ash had 13 points, with Reynolds getting 11 points and Anderson earning 10 points.
