At first glance, it was hard to believe that this confident, fast-starting Cicero-North Syracuse girls basketball team was the same team that stumbled in grief just days ago.
Still, the Northstars produced a first quarter that bordered on perfection in Tuesday’s clash with West Genesee.
C-NS dominated on both ends, taking a 21-0 lead through eight minutes of action — a comfortable cushion that led the Northstars to an impressive 49-19 victory.
“Everybody knew we had to go out and step up the way we did,” C-NS coach Rob Siechen said. “That was a great job by us, especially in the first half. We were definitely locked in offensively and defensively.”
C-NS certainly seemed to have something to prove after Friday’s loss to Fayetteville-Manlius. Senior Leah Benedict and sophomore Avery Rumble drilled back-to-back 3-pointers in the Northstars’ first two possessions. The momentum only snowballed from there as the duo combined for five 3-pointers in the first quarter.
The defensive effort of C-NS also stood out in the opening third. The Northstars shut out the Wildcats in the first quarter, a feat they hadn’t done since last year’s sectional semifinal against Baldwinsville.
“I think they were more focused,” Siechen said. “You get a little bit more attention when you don’t win a game, especially when you lose a game like we did on Friday. They locked in on what we wanted to do and they were able to execute it tonight. That’s credit to them.”
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Girls Basketball Cicero-North Syracuse Vs. West Genesee
Benedict’s game-high 20 points and Meadow Werts“A season-best 15 points lit up the stat sheet, but Siechen credited the entire Northstars for his team’s defense. The historic defensive effort held West Genesee to its fewest points in at least 18 seasons. The top-to-bottom effort can be traced back to an oft-repeated mantra from the head coach.
“We have a saying, ‘Do and do nothing more and nothing less,'” Siechen said. “If we do that, then we’re pretty good defensively.
The win couldn’t have come at a better time for C-NS (5-3). The Northstars upcoming stretch features a gauntlet of top-ranked Baldwinsville, reigning sectional champion Liverpool and many tough non-sectional opponents. Fortunately for C-NS, its game against the Bees on Thursday at least kicks off a three-game homestand.
“We’ve got a pretty good four-game stretch here to see where we are relative to everybody else,” Siechen said.
West Genesee (1-9) will travel to Fayetteville-Manlius on Friday.
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