CENTRAL NEW YORK – Strong late-season play had the Cazenovia girls basketball team well-positioned and fairly confident heading into the Section III Class B playoffs – and what it did in its playoff opener only added to that good feeling.
The no. 7 seed Lakers hosted no. 10 seed Holland Patent Saturday at Buckley Gym in a round-of-16 game where all it had done well late this winter was on display in the latter stages of a 54-34 victory over the Golden Knights.
Despite its 5-14 record entering the game, HP was far from an easy opponent. All through the early stages Cazenovia found it difficult to solve a tight Golden Knights defense.
Clinging to an 18-16 halftime lead, both sides saw the pace quicken in the third quarter. The Lakers produced well, but so did HP, so the game was still in doubt with a period left.
Only here did it all click for the Lakers, who put away the Golden Knights with a 20-4 surge that was partially due to its defense and partially from an ability by Ella Baker to hit plenty of late free throws.
Between her trio of 3-pointers and 10 successful foul shots, Baker finished with 25 points, while Maria Vaccaro remained in top form with 16 points and Jocelyn Szalach added six points.
Before the post-season started Cazenovia tested itself against defending sectional Class AA champion Central Square last Wednesday night and, while its five-game win streak was halted, it still played quite well in a 66-59 defeat.
The Lakers led 15-12 through one period, only to have the Redhawks, who had gone 9-1 in its last 10 games and also won five in a row, to battle its way in front 25-22 by halftime.
All through the second half Cazenovia offered up a challenge led again by Maria Vaccaro, who poured in 29 points while adding eight rebounds and three assists, and Baker, who had 15 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Claire Vaccaro added eight points and six assists.
What kept Central Square ahead was its depth and balance. Five Redhawks hit double figures led by Hannah Waldron’s 17 points and Olivia Chiaramonte’s 14 points. Payton St. Clair had a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds, Taylor Adams also getting 12 points to go with eight assists and four steals. Emily Waldron had 11 points, five rebounds and three assists.
Steeled by this effort, Cazenovia was ready for the playoffs and now awaited to see if no. 2 seed Marcellus would get past Hannibal Tuesday to set up a quarterfinal clash with the Mustangs.
Up in the Class A sectional bracket, Chittenango was the no. 12 seed holding a 9-10 record, though most of those wins came late in the regular season.
But it didn’t help the Bears much in the bracket as it had to face no. 5 seed and defending champion Indian River in Friday’s opening round and saw its season end in a 56-31 defeat to the Wolves.
Neither team made baskets in the early going, and at halftime Chittenango only trailed 20-17, but its defense was overwhelmed in the third quarter when IR took off on a decisive 22-7 run.
The Wolves held the Bears’ top scorer, Abby Scheidelman, to nine points as Ella Sylstra got 12 points. Well-balanced, IR was led by Allison LaMora’s 13 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks, four steals and three assists. Lillian Walsh added 10 rebounds and five steals as Keera LaLonde and and Layla White had 11 points apiece.
