TROY – Only a few inches ended up preventing the Cicero-North Syracuse girls basketball team from a shot at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class AA championship.
The Northstars took a 56-54 overtime defeat to Section VIII’s Baldwin in Friday’s state semifinal at Hudson Valley Community College, a game where C-NS earned opportunities to win the game with a single shot at both the end of regulation and the four-minute extra period.
Ahead 48-44 late in the fourth quarter of a contest that was close most of the way, the Northstars surrendered that lead as the Bruins netted six straight points to go up 50-48.
Alita Carey-Santangelo, whose basket in overtime defeated Albany in the regional final on this same HVCC court six days earlier, was counted on in the homestretch again – and she delivered, hitting the tying basket with 38 seconds left.
Baldwin missed a possible go-ahead shot. C-NS got the ball as the clock wound down. Alexa Kulakowski took a pass, dribbled left, then moved right to the top of the key, sending up a one-handed shot at the buzzer to win it – and it rolled off the rim.
In the OT period, the Bruins appeared to have it in hand with six straight points and keeping C-NS off the board until Carey-Santangelo converted with 1:13 left to make it 56-52.
A series of stops later, the Northstars had it again and Sydney Nesci hit a runner off the glass with 13 seconds to play. With the margin down to two, C-NS regained possession and called time-out.
Kathleen Taru inbounded from the left side. With Carey-Santangelo defended, the pass went to Kulakowski, who dribbled once, set up behind the 3-point line and lined up a game-winner – but just like in regulation, it bounced off the back of the rim.
So ended a memorable game where the Northstars, in its first state final four since 2014, quickly recovered from a slow start, using a 10-2 run late in the first quarter to tie Baldwin, the Long Island champions, 14-14.
Both teams slumped early in the second period, with C-NS going in front and still there until Renelle Grannum’s corner 3-pointer pushed the Bruins to a 24-23 halftime lead.
The pace picked up in the third quarter, and Kulakowski, held to two free throws in the first half, broke out for 10 points in that period, allowing the Northstars to stick right with the Bruins.
It was tied, 42-42, when back-to-back baskets from Kulakowski put C-NS in front. What proved critical, though, was that C-NS got just one field goal – Carey-Santangelo’s tying basket – in a long stretch spanning the fourth quarter and OT.
Kulakowski produced 16 points, just one off the game-high total of 17 by Grannum. Taru earned 13 points and three blocks, with Carey-Santangelo getting 11 points and four assists. The Bruins advanced to Saturday’s state title game against Rochester’s Bishop Kearney, who routed Corning 94-42 in the other semifinal.
