Already this winter, area high school boys basketball teams have displayed an innate ability to respond to adverse situations caused by early-season defeats.
For example, Jamesville-DeWitt, who had lost Dec. 8 at home to West Genesee, was quite impressive in its next outing against PSLA-Fowler, defeating the Falcons 74-63.
A tight game turned in the Red Rams’ favor when it outscored Fowler 21-13 in the second quarter. Up 39-30 at the break, J-D maintained the margin with a potent attack mostly centered on three players.
Trent Hughes finished the night with 25 points, helped plenty by Jackson Saroney, who had 17 points, and Alan Zanders, who got 15 points. Eamon Giblin and Terrell Willis helped with six points apiece.
Bishop Grimes put together a 74-45 win over Jordan-Elbridge last Tuesday night, taking a close contest and breaking it open by outscoring the Eagles 49-20 over the course of the second and third quarters.
Nate Abernethy’s hot start continued as, with 29 points, he proved impossible for J-E to contain. Frank Sgroi, with 11 points, helped out, Dan Shaw adding eight points as Deng Ayeil and Garang Garang had six points apiece.
Then, in non-league action on Saturday, Grimes lost a tense 72-69 battle to Horseheads, who jumped out 27-9 in the first quarter with hot shooting and nursed that double-digit margin during the game’s middle stages.
The Cobras nearly made it all the way back, closing on a 17-7 run, but the comeback fell just short as Abernethy did all he could, pouring in 34 points and helped by Sgroi’s 17 points. Ayeil and Garang each improved to eight points.
A day later, it was Grimes falling 62-50 to Rochester East, outscored 35-22 in the second and third quarters as, one again, Abernethy had strong numbers with 22 points, but no teammate had more than Sgroi’s six points.
Off to an 0-3 start, Christian Brothers Academy finally found the win column last Tuesday against visiting Skaneateles, the Brothers taking the down the Lakers 60-45.
CBA’s defense held Skaneateles to six points in the second and fourth quarters, that defense proving decisive. Tavin Penix led the offense with 17 points, Connor Morgia adding 11 points as Jason Brunson and Nick Genovese had nine points apiece.
This didn’t last, though, as CBA lost Saturday to Rochester Aquinas 67-42, its offense bottled up for long stretches against a tough Irish defense. Only Ethan Harris, with 12 points, scored in double figures for the Brothers as Penix added nine points.
Fayetteville-Manlius was 3-2 going into last Tuesday’s game against Baldwinsville, only to be shut down by a ferocious Bees defense in a 49-35 defeat.
All F-M managed was three points in the first quarter, and it wasn’t much better the rest of the half too, as the Bees, despite its own modest production, still produced a 23-11 halftime advantage.
And even when baskets started to fall for the Hornets in the second half, B’ville answered them, mostly in the form of a three-pronged attack.
Tyler Nilsen earned most of his 15 points from four 3-pointers. TeiShawn Wade and Matt Young both converted twice beyond the arc and each finished with 12 points as F-M didn’t get much aside from Chris Shanguhyia’s 19 points. Chris Cleary had eight points.
East Syracuse Minoa had an 0-2 record venturing to Henninger last Tuesday night, but broke into the win column in an impressive manner with a 64-48 victory over the Black Knights in its only action of the week.
From a 10-10 first-quarter tie, the Spartans steadily gained control in large part due to a well-balanced attack that would put four players in double figures.
Mikah Combs led with 16 points, while Tyler Quarry got nine of his 15 points at the free-throw line. A.J. Bryant finished with 14 points as Austin Betts finished with 13 points.
Manlius Pebble Hill lost 56-27 to unbeaten Faith Heritage last Wednesday night, with Carter Zimmerman (11 points) and Tim He (nine points) accounting for most of the Trojans’ offense.
