LIVERPOOL – Nothing about the aspirations of the Liverpool basketball program, both on the girls and boys sides has subsided in a busy and eventful off-season.
For the girls team a trip to last March’s state Class AAA championship game only has made it hungrier to complete the journey in 2024-25, especially with standouts like A’briyah Cunningham back to tear it up again.
Liverpool’s boys, meanwhile, dealt with the departure of head coach Ryan Blackwell to assist Gerry McNamara at Siena College as the school promoted junior varsity coach Preston Shumpert to the top spot.
Judging by the two days of competition Liverpool hosted last Friday and Saturday at the Zebra Classic, all seems to be humming.
In its first game against Section II’s Bethlehem on Friday afternoon, Liverpool’s girls rolled past the Eagles 67-40, mostly thanks to the duo of Cunningham and Gia Kinsey.
With her quick drives to the basket Cunningham earned most of her 25 points from 12 field goals, and when Bethlehem closed on her Kinsey got open outside looks and hit a trio of 3-pointers on her way to 18 points overall.
Gianna Washington and Angie Kohler added seven points apiece, but Washington would take on much larger roles a day later when Liverpool met Phoenix and rolled past the Firebirds 57-22.
Jumping out to a 31-10 advantage by halftime, Liverpool was led this time by Washington getting 14 points, just ahead of Cunningham’s total of 12 points. Gracie Sleeth chimed in with nine points, Kinsey and Kohler adding eight points apiece.
Then there was the Liverpool boys team experiencing about as easy a game as it could ever imagine against Christian Brothers Academy last Friday with the Brothers still having several players finishing out their football seasons.
Cruising from start to finish, Liverpool handled CBA 68-32, with each of the 11 players that saw action earning at least two points led by 13 points from Alex Trombley and 10 points from Denis Kuzma. Danny Dunn got all nine of his points from three 3-pointers as Sean Frawley also had nine points.
A far tougher game loomed on Saturday against another Section V opponent, Victor, and the game was mostly on even terms – but Liverpool’s quick start made the difference in a 67-57 win over the Blue Devils.
Hot early shooting had Liverpool in front 20-11, and that margin was maintained through the game’s middle stages with increased offensive contributions from Freddie Fowler and Giancarlo Galimi.
Fowler led Liverpool with 19 points, just ahead of Trombley’s total of 16 points. Galimi earned six of his 14 points at the free-throw line as Jayden Cromwell stepped up, too, earning 11 points.
Liverpool’s boys team hosts Rome Free Academy this Friday at 6:30, but the girls have a busy first week of December hosting Binghamton (Section IV) and Marcellus Thursday before a Saturday trip to
