CENTRAL NEW YORK – Now the Jamesville-DeWitt boys basketball team found itself in a spot where it has often lived through the decades – inside the top 10 of the state Class A rankings, ready to go after championships.
Yet it wasn’t all smooth for the Red Rams, who found itself in a tense battle with Fulton last Wednesday night and, in the last seconds, saw a possible victory slip away in a 62-61 defeat to the Red Dragons.
Even though it had just played Liverpool the night before (and lost), Fulton, who started the season 8-0 before a 4-4 stretch, still took a 32-27 halftime lead, only to have J-D control the third quarter with a 19-9 push.
Yet the Rams’ 47-42 lead did not hold, the Red Dragons inching back and tying it, 60-60, setting up the final seconds.
After a J-D free throw restored the hosts’ advantage, Fulton worked it to Gavin Doty, who hit a driving layup with eight seconds to play, then executed a steal to keep the Rams from getting a chance to win it.
Between Doty’s 23 points and Tyler Ditton’s 22 points, Fulton overcame a more balanced J-D attack. Jackson Saroney had 14 points and Trent Hughes 13 points, with Eamon Giblin adding nine points. Alan Zanders and Terrell Willis each had eight points.
Rebounding on Friday night, J-D defeated Henninger 72-58, the key stretch a 22-13 run through the third quarter as Zanders, with 21 points, led the way, Nathan Johnson stepping up with 14 points and Saroney adding 12 points.
When it hosted its latest edition of the “Holy War” with Bishop Ludden, Christian Brothers Academy was 5-11, but it had just played its best all-around game of the season routing Bishop Grimes 61-37. Steadily, the Brothers built a 29-20 advantage by halftime and then decided it with a 23-9 third-quarter push.
Ethan Harris, with 14 points, led a well-balanced attack. Tavin Penix had 11 points, Jason Brunson and Connor Morgia each got nine points and Sam Fairbanks had eight points. Much of the Cobras’ offense again came from Nate Abernethy, who had 18 points.
None of this would carry over into the Ludden game, where CBA, without Penix, lost 72-52, outscored in every quarter. Brunson led the Brothers with 15 points and Nick Genovese added 10 points as Harris had eight points and Morgia seven points. Grimes, meanwhile, lost again, 71-45, to Syracuse Academy of Science.
Continuing its own late-season climb, Fayetteville-Manlius went to 1-14 Central Square last Tuesday night and flew its way past the Redhawks 66-29 for its most lopsided win of the season.
During the first half, the Hornets built a 34-7 edge. Cruising from there, F-M got all 13 of its players on the scoreboard, with only Chris Shanguhyia hitting double figures with 17 points. Chris Cleary, Kieran Egan and Brandon Blitz had six points apiece.
East Syracuse Minoa would have a chance, in last Friday’s game against visiting Baldwinsville, to avenge the Dec. 28 final of its own holiday tournament where the Spartans were held to 32 points by the Bees.
But ESM lost again, this one a 57-46 decision where it fell behind 25-18 by halftime and could not recover, though Anthony Bryant did produce 15 points and Austin Betts had 10 points. Tyler Nilsen paced B’ville with 17 points.
ESM was able to impress last Tuesday as it beat Corcoran 77-61, both starting and closing on strong notes as the Spartans led 18-8 through one quarter, only to see the Cougars nearly catch up by halfitme and go in front during the third quarter.
However, it was the Spartans who dominated the final period, outscoring Corcoran 26-10 and ultimately seeing five players score in double figures, led by A.J. Graham, who had 20 points.
Betts stepped up to earn 16 points, while Bryant poured in 14 points. Robbie Clifford, with his season-high 13 points, equaled Tyler Quarry’s total as no Cougars player had more than Abdi Gosar’s 14 points.
Manlius Pebble Hill lost last Wednesday to Onondaga 52-34, the Trojans not recovering from a first quarter where it was held to just two points. Carter Zimmerman did finish with 10 points as Ayden Whited added eight points. A 48-28 defeat to LaFayette followed on Friday night.
