CENTRAL NEW YORK – An open-tournament format meant that the Cazenovia and Chittenango girls basketball teams could continue into the Section III Class B playoffs if they so desired.
Clearly, the Bears would want to be there in the wake of last Tuesday’s impressive effort against Hannibal, where it rallied late and stunned the Warriors 47-46.
Hannibal was 12-6 going into the game and, despite a tight battle, found itself inching in front 37-32 by the time they reached the fourth quarter.
However, Chittenango outscoerd the Warriors 15-9 in that final period, edged in front and held on led by Alazayah Smith, who pulled off a rare 20-20 effort that included 21 points and 28 rebounds, both career highs.
Abby Scheidelman had 10 points, with Hailee Foran getting seven points, 11 rebounds, three assists and three blocks. This overcame 23 points from Hannibal’s Samantha Emmons and 14 points from Tenly Baker.
As a follow-up, Chittenango won 50-42 over Solvay on Thursday, overcoming Neonna Turk’s 24 points, eight rebounds and nine steals to lead most of the way. A 59-42 loss to Homer followed as the Bears fell to 6-13.
For its part, the Lakers continued to get experience against tough competition last Monday against visiting Marcellus, who ran away and handed Cazenovia a 56-30 defeat.
Worried about containing Mustangs star Cece Powell, the Lakers gave too many looks to Bella Mondello, and she responded with a season-best 21 points, with Powell still getting 15 points.
Combined, that duo helped build a 23-6 lead through one quarter and Cazenovia chased the game the rest of the way, Katie Rajkowski getting nine points as Bess Johnson added seven points. Ella Baker and Hayden Bubble had six points apiece.
Still at home Thursday to face Syracuse West, Cazenovia turned things around, putting together a smothering defensive performance on the way to a 42-15 victory led by Rajkowski, who managed eight steals.
Syracuse West did not get on the board until the second quarter, by which point Cazenovia already led 11-0. And it would get more lopsided as Baker outscored the visitors by herself with 16 points, adding five rebounds and three steals.
Bubble finished with nine points as Claire Marris had six rebounds. Johnson and Olivia Ruddy had five rebounds apiece.
