CENTRAL NEW YORK – Most of the time, when a high school basketball player reaches 1,000 career points, it’s a milestone that follows a routine of a basket, a stoppage of play, some applause and then the game resumes.
That wasn’t the case at all when Marcellus girls basketball standout Cece Powell reached that 1,000 mark in Friday night’s 59-38 win over Phoenix.
It was already a special evening as, in a clash of state-ranked Class B sides, the Mustangs did all of the work needed to earn a comfortable victory, pulling away from the Firebirds in the second half after taking a 23-19 lead to halftime.
But the result wasn’t the story. Powell had entered the night with 971 career points, and as the game entered the final minute and victory was secure, Powell had 27 points, helped by 15 points from teammate Tenly Baker.
Getting to 1,000 at home was a big deal, for the Mustangs’ next two games were on the road and it wouldn’t be home again until a Feb. 2 clash with Jordan-Elbridge, so the fans were screaming for Powell to pull it off.
Then, with less than 30 seconds left, Powell grabbed a rebound of a missed Phoenix shot and took off downcourt, passing it off near the basket but then getting back and hitting the layup.
Players and fans celebrated as if a championship was won, with the whole team mobbing Powell and confetti cannons set off in the stands, all topped off by celebratory signs and a banner handed to Powell at game’s end.
Long before this, Marcellus and West Genesee both took part in the annual Bishop Grimes Martin Luther King Jr. Tournament.
In the opening round, the Mustangs met the host Cobras in a potential Class B playoff preview, and if it was, Marcellus had to like the way it turned out as it prevailed over Grimes 59-46.
And what made it even better was the way the Mustangs turned it around after a rough start, fighting its way to a 25-23 halftime lead, and then tearing up Grimes 21-4 in a decisive third quarter.
Again, it proved a two-player show. Powell amassed 32 points, and whenever the Cobras tried to contain her, Baker stepped up and earned 21 points.
This happened after West Genesee lost the other opening-round game 62-43 to Section IV’s Union-Endicott, who barreled its way to a 30-15 halftime lead and never let the Wildcats catch up.
Bella Quinones still managed 14 points, while Na’deja Newkirk gained 12 points and Mia Raymond had nine points.
WG turned around and, in the consolation game, defeated Grimes 60-52, this time playing quite well out of the gate as it jumped out 16-7 in the first quarter and spent the rest of the game answering every possible Cobras charge.
A lot of this was due to Quinones, who between 12 field goals, three of them 3-pointers, and seven free throws made her way to 34 points, helped by 10 points from Raymond and nine points from Newkirk.
Marcellus would, in the championship game, fall 54-43 to Union-Endicott. The Tigers jumped out 15-2 and, from there, essentially spent the entire game locked on Powell and Baker, daring someone else to step up.
It didn’t quite happen, as Powell was held to 17 points and Baker managed 11 points. Ella Butler got six points as the Tigers had three players in double figures, led by Gianna Gennarelli’s 15 points.
Playing again two days later at Fayetteville-Manlius, WG found itself on the wrong end of a 57-54 defeat to the Hornets.
Despite entering the game with a 2-10 record, F-M hung in there as the Wildcats worked its way to a 32-23 halftime advantage. Then it nearly caught up in the third quarter, outscoring WG 17-10.
Down the stretch, the Hornets got the baskets it needed to overcome Quinones’ 20 points and Raymond’s 13 points as Hannah Sparks got all of her nine points from three 3-pointers. F-M had Lydia Land-Steves and Mia Knuth earn 14 points apiece, with Taylor Novack adding 11 points.
On Friday night, WG lost, 68-36, to Central Square, who used a 21-6 second-quarter push to get away and had four players in double figures, led by Natalie Bush’s 21 points. Raymond paced the Wildcats with 11 points.
