Facing its second game against a top Class AAA contender in as many weeks, this time it was the Cicero-North Syracuse girls basketball team making the comeback to earn an important victory.
The state Class AAA no. 13-ranked Northstars’ 51-43 win over Bishop Ludden last Thursday night was impressive on several levels, from the quality of the opposition to the fact that C-NS was short-handed during the game’s pivotal moments.
One starter, Grace Villnave, was out. Then an injury sidelined another starter, Olivia Cook, before halftime as the two sides battled to a near-standstill and the Northstars trailed 20-19 at the break.
Both teams got more productive in the third quarter, but C-NS still found itself trailing 38-34. Yet it was here that the Northstars would play its best on both ends.
From a series of key defensive stops to a go-ahead 3-pointer by Kat McRobbie-Taru, the Northstars seized control and earned its second strong win of the week to go with one two days earlier against West Genesee.
McRobbie-Taru finished with 17 points as she and Jilly Howell, who had 12 points, hit on a pair of 3-pointers. Leah Benedict added nine points as, for Ludden, Jordyn Townes led the way with 11 points.
Liverpool, no. 9 in the first state AAA poll of the winter, was far away from all this, playing in the KSA Events Tournament in Orlando, Florida, and taking its first defeat of the season against high-level competition in the Purple Bracket.
The Warriors made it through the first round Dec. 20 against James Madison (Virginia), winning 43-29 by dealing well with a slower tempo and overcoming a season-low six points from A’briyah Cunningham.
Strong defense carried Liverpool all the way through. Only Angelina Kohler, with 10 points, hit double figures, Kaylyn Sweeney adding seven points and Sophie Sageer getting six points.
A close battle with Horizon (Colorado) followed a day later, but the Warriors, despite a lot of offensive improvement, took its first loss of the season 56-52 to the Hawks.
Cunningham drew a lot of defensive attention and earned eight of her 16 points at the free-throw line. Sweeney gained 12 points, with Gianna Washington adding nine points.
In the third-place game last Friday against Signal Mountain (Tennessee), Liverpool took control with a tremendous third-quarter performance, ultimately defeating the Eagles 59-45.
Most of an 18-12 first-quarter advantage had gone away when, clinging to a 28-26 lead at the break, the Warriors cranked up its defensive pressure at the outest of the second half, forced turnovers and converted them into baskets.
The 25-11 push was something Signal Mountain could not answer as Cunningham finished with 18 points and Gracie Sleeth stepped up with a season-best 15 points. Kohler, with eight points, and Sweeney, with seven points, helped out.
Now Liverpool could enjoy some rest, while C-NS makes its way east this week for back-to-back games against Albany Academy (no. 2 in the state Class B rankings) and Averill Park (no. 5 in the state Class AA poll).
