CENTRAL NEW YORK – What the area’s trio of boys basketball teams remaining in the Section III Class B playoffs faced was a trio of quarterfinal tests, any one of which, if proven successful, would put them into semifinal games at nearby SRC Arena.
None of them would make it.
It all started Tuesday night, when Skaneateles took its shot at top seed Chittenango, and the no. 8 seed Lakers gave itself a chance at an upset before seeing things get away late in a 74-61 defeat.
Knowing how the Bears liked to decide matters with big early-game scoring outbursts, the Lakers did a tremendous job keeping Chittenango from doing so here.
Instead, they traded baskets for most of the first half, and that trend continued in the third quarter. Thus, the Lakers only trailed 50-45 going to the final period and would ultimately get two Chittenango starters to foul out.
But the Bears’ Alex Moesch, who had passed 1,000 career points in the team’s round-of-16 victory over Solvay Feb. 19, would lead a late charge that finally put Skaneateles away. Hitting on nine free throws, Moesch got 25 points overall, with Ty Kelly adding 20 points.
On the Lakers’ side, Jude Pas’cal had 20 points, including three 3-pointers. Colin Gaglione gained 15 points as Marcus McClanahan had 10 points and Patrick Herr eight points. Still, the Lakers’ season ended with a 17-5 record.
As this went on, Marcellus, the no. 11 seed but having just entered the state Class B rankings at no. 25, tried to upend no. 2 seed and reigning champion Lowville, and could not quite pull it off, falling 49-42 to the Red Raiders.
Carrying the memory of a 2020 sectional semifinal defeat to Lowville, Marcellus played a superb first half, containing the Red Raiders early and then matching it during the second quarter to build a 28-22 advantage.
But it all turned in the third quarter. Going cold at the wrong time, Marcellus managed just four points in that frame, giving Lowville room to move out in front, led by Dalton Myers, who finished with 22 points.
Try as it could, the Mustangs never recovered from that drought, Sam Barney getting 11 points and Will Kershaw 10 points as Austin Voss and Mitch Donegan had seven points apiece. Marcellus finished its season with a 16-6 record.
Finally, it was Westhill holding the no. 4 seed and seemingly on its way to knocking off no. 5 seed Central Valley Academy Wednesday night before a stunning rally by the Thunder upended the state no. 21-ranked Warriors 61-58.
CVA had started the gamd on a 10-2 run, but Westhill dominated the rest of the first half, going on a 19-3 spurt to close the first quarter and expanding on that margin until it led 39-25 at the break.
All of that started to change in the third quarter. Led by Jaylon O’Neal and Chris Judd, the Thunder chipped away at the Warriors’ advantage and were within range, 48-43, heading to the final period.
Try as it could, Westhill could not regain the momentum, and CVA caught up, grabbing a slim 59-58 advantage and then, in the waning seconds, making one more defensive stop before adding two more insurance points.
For the Warriors, who finished at 17-5, Luke Gilmartin put up 20 points and Kam Langdon had 18 points, with Shawn Mayes and Omar Robinson each getting eight points. O’Neal had 21 points and Judd 19 points to pace the Thunder.
