CENTRAL NEW YORK – Four area high school boys basketball teams made their way into the Section III Class B playoffs, with two of them thinking only of long runs and possible glory.
Westhill and Marcellus had good reason to think they could flourish, with the Warriors holding the no. 3 seed and the Mustangs the no. 4 seed in a 24-team open-tournament format.
In the second round last Saturday, the Warriors would face its neighbors from Solvay, who had survived a 40-37 opening-round game with Utica-Notre Dame two nights earlier.
It didn’t prove too tough for the Warriors, who prevailed 64-33 by playing stifling man-to-man defense throughout a decisive first half as it built up a 38-12 advantage on the Bearcats.
Up 61-22 by the fourth quarter, Westhill then rested its starters for this Wednesday’s quarterfinal against no. 5 seed General Brown, having seen its four top players – Shawn Mayes, Luke Gilmartin, Omar Robinson and Kam Langdon – finish with 13 points apiece.
As for the Mustangs, it faced no. 13 seed Vernon-Verona-Sherrill Saturday night and roared to an 82-49 victory over the Red Devils, advancing to a quarterfinal Wednesday against no. 6 seed General Brown.
Will Kershaw and Pat Louer both struck for 20 points, Kershaw adding nine rebounds and Lauer six rebounds. Will Burnett had 11 points and nine rebounds as Tucker Burnett and Jack Sammon both got 10 points and three rebounds.
Skaneateles worked from a no. 9 seed, having to play last Thursday against no. 24 seed Hannibal and prevailing 64-55 to earn a second-round berth against no. 8 seed Clinton.
Even though Hannibal was 1-19 going into the game and lost 57-27 to the Lakers a week earlier, it chipped away at an early 18-9 deficit until a high-scoring third quarter allowed Skaneateles to regain control.
Ethan Hunt gained 17 points, with Tyson DiRubbo adding 13 points. Nico Decker, with 10 points, also hit double figures as Caden Bradley got nine points and Patrick Herr eight points.
Now, facing Clinton, the Lakers saw its season end with a 70-56 defeat as its record ended up at 12-10 overall.
No one got a bigger win in the lead-up to the playoffs than Westhill, who took charge in the second half last Monday against Christian Brothers Academy and put away the Brothers 64-55.
The Warriors outscored CBA 41-30 in the second half, with Gilmartin getting 17 points, Mayes 16 points and Robinson 15 points as Langdon added eight points.
Marcellus rammed past Mexico 78-39 last Monday behind Kershaw’s 11 steals to go with 10 points. Will Burnett poured in 23 points and added 10 rebounds, with Louer adding 11 points and Codey Kociela adding 10 points.
At Hannibal a night later, the Mustangs prevailed 63-22 behind a stifling defense, plus an attack where Kershaw led with 18 points. Will Burnett got 16 points and eight rebounds, with Tucker Burnett managing 13 points and four steals.
Skaneateles met Solvay last Tuesday, and it proved a good one, the Lakers able to build an early advantage and hang on to beat the Bearcats 63-57.
Steadily, Skaneateles was able to gain a 38-28 lead by halftime, which was needed since Solvay battled back led by Jeff Sharpe, who had 21 points, and Nick Commisso, who got 19 points.
To stay in front, the Lakers put four players in double figures. Ethan Hunt got most of his 16 points from four 3-pointers, with Tyson DiRubbo getting 15 points as Cader Bradley had 13 points and Nate Shattuck earned 10 points.
Yet Solvay was able to recover and, in its opening sectional game, make quite a comeback against Utica-Notre Dame, overcoming a 29-20 deficit at the start of the fourth quarter with a furious late charge.
Suddenly the shots fell, and Sharpe, with 18 points, led the rally, with Commisso getting nine points and Geigel finishing with six points. But Westhill would end the Bearcats’ season two days later.
