SYRACUSE – Already with big wins in championship games on the floor at SRC Arena in their possession, the West Genesee and Bishop Ludden boys basketball teams wanted to do it again seven days later.
Berths in this weekend’s state final four in Binghamton were on the line Saturday when the Wildcats faced Niskayuna in Class AA and the Gaelic Knights met Shaker in Class AAA for a pair of regional finals.
In a rematch of the 2024 regional final WG’s second-half comeback fell just short in a 52-43 defeat, while Ludden fell victim to an exceptional all-around performances by Shaker, who defeated the Gaelic Knights 68-53..
WG had already accomplished plenty repeating as Section III champions with a new starting five. But now these Wildcats had to deal with an experienced Niskayuna side bent on avenging its 61-55 defeat in this same regional round a year ago.
To win this time, WG needed its trademark defense to shine from the opening tip, but instead the Silver Warriors seized quick control thanks to a combined 15 points from starters Ethan Gilson and Daniel Smalls.
What was more, Niskayuna’s defense held the Wildcats without a field goal for more than six minutes, stretching deep into the second period as WG’s deficit grew to 25-8 before it started to settle in on both ends.
In the last seven minutes of the half the Wildcats surrendered just one field goal, but its own inability to convert left it going to the locker room trying to do something about a 29-13 deficit.
What it did was turn to Aiden Phelan, who was shut out in the first half but struck for eight points in less than three minutes as part of a 12-2 run which turned the game around.
Though the Silver Warriors pushed the lead back to 10 early in the fourth quarter, WG continued to chip away and moved within four, 43-39, with nearly three minutes to play.
Smalls then hit a tough corner jumper which extended Niskayuna’s margin back to six and, in the final minute, Niskayuna went five-for-six at the free-throw line to put the game away and end WG’s 11-game win streak.
Kolton Castrello’s 14 points paced the Wildcats, with Phelan adding 12 points and Evan Dufford getting 10 points. Smalls paced the Silver Warriors with 22 points, Brady Olsen adding 12 points.
In the AAA regional final it was a new experience for players on both sides. Ludden’s emergence coincided with Shaker ending a 33-year title drought when it beat reigning state champion Albany Green Tech in its sectional final.
They worked through a first quarter with six ties and five lead changes and ended up even at 16-16. Neither team had a lead more than a single possession until Tye Marinaro hit on back-to-back 3-pointers just past the midway point of the second period igniting an 11-0 Blue Bison run.
All told, Shaker hit five 3-pointers in the quarter and, with guard Bless Demand putting up 10 points to lead the way, the Blue Bison’s closing 16-4 push to the half had Ludden trailing 39-29 at the break.
Having come from behind in the sectional final to beat Liverpool, a deficit didn’t daunt the Gaelic Knights, but Shaker’s man-to-man defense made each possession a battle and gradually forced more turnovers as the game went on.
By contrast, the Blue Bison only committed four turnovers all game, taking care of the ball while, at the same time, continuing to stay hot from the perimeter.
Shaker ultimately made 10 3-pointers to Ludden’s one, a 27-point differential, and the Gaelic Knights never was able to bring the margin back to single digits the entire second half.
Four Shaker players finished in double figures – Demand with 16 points, Marinaro with 15 points, Brown with 14 points and Marcelin Mukendi with 12 points. Only Jahzar Greene, with 18 points, and Liam Sheard, with 17 points, did so for Ludden as Joe Dunham added eight points.
Now a fascinating off-season begins for Ludden, who next season will have its high school merge with Bishop Grimes as Greene and Sheard could return, but to a far different roster than before.
