The Gaelic Knights added to its win total on Dec. 20 at Phoenix, doing most of its damage in the first half before steadily closing it out and defeating the Firebirds 55-42.

Defensively Ludden forced Phoenix into all kinds of first-half mistakes, which more than made up for any struggles on the other side and led to a 31-17 advantage at the break.

Balanced scoring helped maintain this lead as Abby Reynolds led with a double-double of 18 points and 10 rebounds, adding five steals and three blocks.

Ava Carpenter augmented her 13 points with nine rebounds, six assists and three steals, with Grace Olivia getting 12 points and Sophia Chemotti 11 points, eight rebounds, five steals and four assists.

Marcellus would go up against the reigning sectional Class AAA champions from Liverpool on Dec. 21, not quite able to overcome a rough start in a 73-52 defeat.

Liverpool bolted out 26-9 by the end of the first quarter and forced the Mustangs into chase mode the rest of the way. Cece Powell would get 23 points and Tenly Baker added 17 points as Liverpool’s A’briyah Cunningham, who began the game 39 points short of 1,000, got closer to that milestone leading her side with 20 points and 17 rebounds.

Also getting to the win column on Dec. 20, Skaneateles rode one perfect quarter to a 66-45 victory over Syracuse Academy of Science.

What happened in the third period was strange on many fronts, not the least of which was the fact that for the rest of the game the Lakers and Atoms were close to even.

Yet in those eight points Skaneateles ran up 22 unanswered points and SAS did not get on the board once, an astonishing run which all but settled the contest even though it was 27-27 at the break.

Allie Michel had 15 points and 10 rebounds, adding four assists and four steals. Brooke DeRosalia chimed in with 13 points as Finn Pas’cal and Tobi DiRubbo each got 10 points and Pas’cal tacked on 10 rebounds.

Westhill started out 13-4 against Chittenango and, by putting together a 19-8 surge through the third period, locked up its 65-43 victory over the Bears.

Eva Tarolli led the way amassing 19 rebounds, three assists and three steals to go with her 14 points. Sydney Medeiros had 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists, with Aaliyah Colon also earning 14 points and Kara Rosenberger notching 13 points, six assists and six steals.

Far on the other end of this was West Genesee getting overwhelmed in an 81-31 defeat to Cicero-North Syracuse where the Northstars dashed out to a 52-18 edge by halftime and had four players score in double figures while keeping the Wildcats’ duo of Bella Quinones (13 points) and Jordyn Townes (nine points) mostly contained.

Similarly, Jordan-Elbridge fell 60-22 to Christian Brothers Academy, never scoring more than six points in any single quarter against the Brothers’ defense as Kelsey Brunelle got seven points overall and Brooke Chiaramonte added six points.