CENTRAL NEW YORK – Two boys basketball sides with championship ambitions were supposed to open the season against one another – but the time they did face off last Friday night, it seemed to mean even more.
That was because Marcellus and Bishop Ludden were both undefeated and had already recorded impressive victories, with the Mustangs, who topped reigning state Class A champion Westhill, and Gaelic Knights both knocking off Chittneango.
As it turned out, it was Marcellus who would maintain that momentum, breaking out of a 31-31 halftime tie with a steady second-half performances that resulted in a 61-54 victory.
After tremendous individual performances in recent games, the Mustangs leaned on scoring balance here as five players scored in double figures.
Will Kershaw led with 15 points, but Will Burnett (13 points) was close behind him, as was Tucker Burnett with 12 points. Dom Sandy chimed in with 11 points and Mitch Donegan got 10 points.
All of this overcame the game-high 18 points and eight assists from Ludden’s Jahzar Greene, but of his teammate, only Tim Dunham, with 11 points, got to double figures.
The Mustangs’ 77-57 win over the Bears last Tuesday night turned into a personal showcase for Donegan, whose red-hot outside shooting at the outset produced a 30-11 lead through one quarter.
Even as Chittenango chipped away at the deficit and star junior Ryan Moesch put up 29 points, Donegan kept converting, ultimately sinking nine 3-pointers and finishing with 38 points, helped by 13 points from Will Burnett and eight points from Will Kershaw..,
Ludden had made it three in a row last Monday by humbling Solvay 65-42, a game where a modest lead turned into a rout when the Gaelic Knights outscored the Bearcats 23-4 in the second quarter.
Jahzair Greene, with 14 points, three assists and three steals, led a well-balanced Ludden attack. Tim Dunham had 11 points and five rebounds, with Liam Sheard getting nine points and Joe Dunham eight points. Solvay got 11 points from Ayden Geigel and 10 points from Luis Mojica as Jairo DeJesus added seven points.
Solvay, now at 1-3, hosted Oswego last Friday night and saw its offense struggle in a 63-44 defeat to the Buccaneers, who used a 21-7 push through the second quarter to take charge.
A.J. Trendell finished with 14 points, leading a Bearcats side where Geigel and Mojica both gained 10 points. Oswego got 20 points from Moreno Fenty and 18 points from Cam Atkinson.
