ONONDAGA COUNTY – Right before they entered the Section III Class A playoffs, the Jamesville-DeWitt and East Syracuse Minoa girls basketball teams would again confront one another, owning similar records.
And it was the Spartans emerging with a 41-36 victory, leaving both sides at 11-8 overall as their season series was split, the Red Rams having prevailed 39-37 when they met in January.
The two sides went through a low-scoring first half, neither side able to do much. That kept it close, and in the third quarter little changed, even as the pace picked up a bit.
Tied 28-28 going to the fourth quarter, ESM was able to get in front for good, led by Angelina Polcaro and Leah Chavoustie, who finished with 13 points apiece as Aniyah Jones added 10 points.
Meanwhile, only two J-D players matched that production, Ava Sandroni getting 14 points and Macy Durkin adding 10 points as Aniyah Neal was held to five points.
Of the two sides, it was ESM holding more momentum due to an impressive effort last Tuesday against Central Square where it excelled in all phases of the game and beat the Redhawks 49-38.
Remembering how close it game in a 40-38 loss to Central Square on Dec. 13, ESM jumped out quickly, grabbing a 15-7 advantage by the end of the first quarter.
The Spartans were held to four points in the second quarter, allowing the Redhawks to regroup and keep things close – at least until the defense took over again late.
Limiting Central Square to four points in the fourth quarter, ESM put it away, led by Polcaro, who had 17 points as Jones added 14 points and Isabelle Chavoustie had 10 points.
J-D had also won that night, too, taming Oswego 46-33 with the combination of a defense that peaked when it shut out the Buccaneers in a second quarter and, on the other end, leaned on Sandroni.
Constantly fouled, Sandroni made Oswego pay for that attention, getting 11 of her 22 points from free throws, with help from Macy Durkin, who had nine points.
When J-D had a chance at another big win on Friday against Auburn, it could not quite halt the Maroons’ nine-game win streak in a 68-64 overtime defeat.
The Rams led most of the first half, up 18-11 through one period. Auburn didn’t get in front until the third quarter, but Sandroni and Neal made sure the game didn’t get away.
Sandroni earned 30 points for the first time in her career, while Neal chimed in with 25 points. Combined, they helped J-D get it to overtime 59-59, but Auburn went ahead in the extra period and stayed there led again by Leah Middleton, who poured in 35 points overall.
Right before Central Square, ESM faced Henninger last Monday night, the Spartans quite good early, but faltering late and taking a 48-40 defeat as the Black Knights won its sixth in a row.
Terrific first-half defense helped ESM go up 23-19 by the break, only to see Henninger made up that ground in the third quarter and pull away late led by Sanai Lee’s 19 points and Iyanna Kyles’ 14 points.
Jones led the Spartans, equaling Lee’s 19 points, while Angelina Polcaro earned 10 points and Leah Chavoustie finished with eight points.
As J-D battled Auburn on Friday, ESM got run over by Cortland in a 72-26 loss, the Purple Tigers using a 24-4 second-quarter blitz to seize control. Jones, with eight points, led the Spartans.
