CENTRAL NEW YORK – Three area boys high school basketball start 2024-25 defending Section III titles and two of them, Marcellus and West Genesee, are fresh off getting all the way to their respective state title games.

Hit hard by graduation, the Wildcats still managed to get through last Tuesday’s season opener against visiting Jamesville-DeWitt, edging the Red Rams 62-59.

It’s a brand-new starting five for WG after the departures of Gary McLane, Jordan Cain, Sincere Smith, Jaden Zachery and Joe Cavallo, and it was Aiden Phelan taking on a starring role against J-D.

After it gained a 17-8 lead through one quarter, Phelan made sure to thwart all of the Rams’ rallies, eventually producing 26 points which included four 3-pointers.

Jake McMahon got 11 points, with Kolton Castrello adding 10 points. Together, they outscored a J-D side led by Alan Zanders’ 16 points as Jackson Saroney and Eamon Giblin had 10 points apiece.

Going to the Peppino’s Invitational Saturday at J-D, the Wildcats faced Nottingham and was quite impressive here, putting away the Bulldogs 58-45.

Defense told the story here, WG mostly containing Nottingham as it built a 36-23 edge by halftime, then kept it up led again by Phelan, who got 17 points. Evan Dufford (11 points) and Clyde Allen (10 points) also got to double figures, with McMahon getting nine points.

A night earlier at Christian Brothers Academy, Bishop Ludden opened its season against Henninger and got a dazzling performance from Jahzar Greene in a 78-65 win over the Black Knights.

Aided by a 20-12 push through the second quarter, the Gaelic Knights pushed the tempo and eventually led 60-43 through two periods as Greene blasted Henninger for 36 points, adding six assists, five steals and three rebounds.

Joe Dunham picked up 12 points, adding six rebounds, three assists and two steals, while Liam Sheard blocked four shots to go with his 11 points and four rebounds. Nick Brunger got eight points and Colden Sheen seven points.

Westhill is also a reigning sectional champion, having gone to the top in Class A last winter before a regional finals defeat to eventual state champion Glens Falls.

And it got off to a great start in the Nov. 29 Zebra Classic at Liverpool, making a spirited fourth-quarter comeback to win 54-51 over the same J-D side West Genesee would face next.

Without Eli Prince in the lineup, Westhill struggled early, especially in a second quarter where it was held to three points. The Red Rams built a 46-32 edge by the time they reached the final period.

But a combination of strong defense, solid execution on the other end and clutch free-throw shooting led to a 22-5 push through those final eight minutes as Westhill surged into the lead and stayed there.

Jackson Goodness led with 15 points and hit on all eight of his free throws. Eli Welch had 11 points and 10 rebounds, with Trevor Young also getting 11 points. Jack Hayes had eight points and Colin Shiel six points to go with six rebounds.

Westhill then welcomed Prince back to the lineup and beat PSLA Fowler 70-57 last Tuesday, with Prince managing 18 points and five rebounds, nearly equaling Goodness, who led with 19 points. All of Young’s nine points came from three 3-pointers as Hayes again had eight points.

For its game at the Peppino’s Invitational Westhill drew Cicero-North Syracuse, and Prince was sensational, yet his team still lost 61-57 to the Northstars.

A hot second-quarter run by Prince put Westhill in front 30-28 at halftime, yet C-NS regained the lead in the third quarter and held on late despite Prince running his total to 31 points.

No other Westhill player hit double figures, with Welch held to nine points and Hayes getting eight points. C-NS’s senior standout, Andrew Benedict, got 27 points, with help from Nate Francis (14 points) and Andrew Potter (11 points).