CENTRAL NEW YORK – An eventful December for area Onondaga High School League boys basketball team included, among other things, a new home court for Solvay and a setback for Westhill.
Meanwhile, Marcellus kept up its strong play, even when pushed into two overtimes by Altmar-Parish-Williamstown on Dec. 18 as it was able to outlast the Rebels 66-58.
All game long, APW’s Blake Pugh found his way through the Mustangs’ defenses, eventually producing 32 points as he helped the Rebels produce a 28-23 halftime edge.
Marcellus made up the ground in the third quarter, and then it would go back and forth for quite a while, beyond a regulation period that ended 49-49 and a first OT where both sides netted six points.
Finally the Mustangs outscored APW 11-3 in the second extra period as Austin Voss finished with 21 points. Pat Louer had 12 points, with Adam Sullivan getting 11 points as Will Burnett had nine points and Will Kershaw seven points.
Right after, though, Marcellus found that several players had tested positive for COVID-19, which postponed Monday’s game at Cazenovia. The Mustangs would get time to recover since it wouldn’t play again until the new year.
Skaneateles rebounded from its narrow Dec. 14 defeat to Marcellus by handling Homer 67-39, outscoring the Trojans 55-21 after a rough first quarter. Colin Gaglione picked up 23 points, with Jude Pascal close behind as he earned 19 points.
Then, in last Monday’s game against Institute of Technology Central, the Lakers made a big late comeback and, in overtime, managed to top the Eagles 61-56.
Starting in the second quarter, ITC took charge, eventually gaining a 40-31 edge before Skaneateles, in the fourth quarter, caught fire, outscoring the Eagles 18-9.
Then, in the OT period, Skaneatleles got 12 points to ITC’s seven. More than half of Pascal’s 17 points came from three 3-pointers as Marcus McClanahan, who hit four 3-pointers, and Colin Sweet both set career marks wit14 points.
As a follow-up on Wednesday, Skaneateles handled Mexico 74-40, building a 46-20 advantage by halftime as 13 different Lakers got on the scoreboard, led by Pascal’s 15 points and Gaglione’s 13 points.
As for Westhill, a big opportunity at Chittenango on Dec. 17 slipped away in the final seconds of a 53-49 loss to the Bears in an early clash of likely Class B title contenders.
Trailing 33-23 at halftime, the Warriors held Chittenango to five points in the third quarter and took its first lead of the night, 47-46, midway through the final period.
It went back and forth from there, with six lead changes. Then, with the score tied 49-49, Tyrus Kelly hit a driving lay-up with a minute left to put the Bears in front.
Westhill’s last-second shot to tie it went off the rim. Ryan Moesch sank two free throws with 3.9 seconds left to clinch it. Only Shawn Mayes, with 11 points, hit double figures for the Warriors as Alex Moesch led the Bears with 18 points.
Solvay christened its new court on Dec. 17, hosting Hannibal and rolling to a 76-37 victory that included a 22-8 opening surge and a 30-7 romp through the third quarter.
Jeff Sharpe, getting half his 24 points from four 3-pointers, led four Bearcats in double figures. Gerold Bean had 14 points, with Tom Venturini adding 13 points and Nick Commisso 10 points as Anthony Berry had nine points.
Then, in Sunday’s Zebra Classic at Liverpool High School, Solvay rolled past LaFayette 58-37, building a 52-27 lead through three periods. Sharpe got 14 points, with Bean adding 11 points as Venturini, Commisso and Jordan Dippold had eight points apiece.
Moving to 2-3 on the season, Jordan-Elbridge held off Mexico 54-48 on Dec. 17. Caleb Rouse, with 18 points, led the way as Jack Barrigar (11 points), Cory Henderson (10 points) and Nolan Brunelle (nine points) all helped out.
