ONONDAGA COUNTY – The great amount of confidence which the Cicero-North Syracuse boys basketball team has going only increased as a result of its Dec. 17 win at West Genesee.
When the Northstars went to Auburn two nights later, it was a far more lopsided affair, with a 45-25 lead by halftime and a 25-7 push through the third quarter all part of an 85-40 decision.
Part of what made this game so satisfying for C-NS fans was that it didn’t involve big numbers from Andrew Benedict, who gladly took more of a supporting role even though he still finished with 19 points.
Nate Francis poured in 25 points, a new season high, while Nadarren Carter gave C-NS a real option off the bench finishing with 16 points, by far the best total of his career. Andrew Potter added nine points.
As C-NS looked ahead to back-to-back games against Utica Proctor before and after the new year, Liverpool would get its own test from West Genesee on Dec. 20. But this game would not in any way resemble the tense, close battles of recent years that included a pair of memorable Section III Class AA title games won by Liverpool in 2022 and 2023.
Instead it was Liverpool methodically taking the Wildcats apart on both ends through a first half where it built up a 42-20 edge, easily its best all-around performance of the season so far.
Though the margin didn’t grow much from there Liverpool still cruised to a 74-52 victory and Alex Trombley went to the forefront hitting 10 field goals, three of them 3-pointers, on his way to 24 points overall.
Freddie Fowler was solid, too, finishing with 18 points, while Giancarlo Galimi gave Liverpool a legitimate third option working his way to 13 points. Aidan Phelan and Kolton Castrello led WG with 15 points apiece, most of them in the late going.
