ONONDAGA COUNTY – Some had imagined that, in order to win the Section III Class AA championship, the Liverpool boys basketball team might need to get past its neighbors from Cicero-North Syracuse, a team that beat the Warriors late in January amid a seven-game win streak that stretched to an opening-round sectional playoff rout over PSLA-Fowler.
But the no. 4 seed Northstars were victimized by an ill-timed injury to a key player and by a determined opponent in no. 5 seed Fayetteville-Manlius, who prevailed 60-51 in Tuesday’s AA quarterfinal.
These teams had split their two regular-season meetings, but C-NS was without forward Reece Congel, a consistent force all season who had averaged better than 12 points per game.
And the Hornets would take full advantage.
F-M scored the first seven points, which the Northstars answered. After that, the game was tense and close all the way into the fourth quarter, neither side able to establish any kind of lead.
When Robbie Siechen hit a long 3-pointer as the third-quarter buzzer sounded, it was tied again, 40-40, and C-NS briefly went out in front early in the final period.
But Chris Hoalcraft’s basket with 5:11 left put the Hornets in front for good. And with C-NS still close at hand, Trevor Roe and Luke Davidson both converted on drives to the basket – Roe from the baseline, Davidson up the middle – in the waning minutes, and the Northstars went cold, held without a point in the game’s last 1:54.
Luke Paragon led all scorers with 21 points, but no other C-NS player hit double figures as Siechen and Jerrod Hills had eight points apiece. Max Danaher and Trevor Roe led F-M, each earning 17 points.
Liverpool, meanwhile, had little trouble in its sectional quarterfinal against no. 7 seed Utica Proctor, bolting out to a 38-20 halftime lead and cruising from there to defeat the Raiders 70-50.
Andreo Ash, with 20 points, led the way, with the rest of the production spread around well. Bruce Wingate had 11 points, with Jacob Works getting nine points, Jaiden Reynolds eight points and Shontez Anderson six points.
On Saturday at SRC Arena, Liverpool challenges no. 2 seed Christian Brothers Academy in the semifinals, the winner to face F-M or top seed West Genesee in the March 6 title game.
