DRYDEN –– Xander Scott knows how to get a crowd going.
The star senior had a slow first half Monday night, but he went for eight third-quarter points to help the Dryden boys basketball team open a 52-43 lead that ended up being a 68-59 home victory over Trumansburg.
The gym at Dryden High School was rocking for most of the battle between state-ranked teams, but Scott’s spurt ignited the crowd more than anyone else could.
Dryden head coach Zach LeViere credits Scott’s unique ability and personality for the way the crowd and his teammates react after his big plays.
“He’s just fun to watch,” LeViere said. “He’s got a smoothness to his game, a soft touch around the rim. He’s had a couple highlight dunks this year, so everyone is just kind of feeling that energy. I think when they see him scoring they’re waiting for that next big play. He’s our leading scorer averaging almost 19 points a game. You just don’t see many guys like him, especially at this level around here –– except his older brother (Xavier Scott). He’s just a unique player and he’s such a likable guy.”
Scott recorded an and-one late in the third to put the Lions up 49-41. Scott let out a big smirk with the crowd and his teammates going wild after the bucket and free throw extended what was a three-point lead just a few minutes before back to eight.
“It’s definitely my defense, my blocks and the amount of energy I have,” Scott said. “I’m always having fun. No one ever sees me on the court mad or sad because of a play that happened. I’m always having fun, playing defense, offense, all that.”
Peter Nydam did his best to keep the crowd rocking, hitting a 3-pointer as time expired in the third to make it a nine-point game.
The Lions played stifling defense to start the fourth and took advantage offensively, getting back to a 15-point lead midway through the frame. Dryden held off the final Trumansburg comeback attempt to move to 15-2 and inch closer to locking up an IAC title game appearance.
Trumansburg was able to slow Dryden’s offense down a little by not guarding Jay and Carmelo Miles. The Blue Raiders left the Miles brothers alone on the perimeter to double-team Scott, but LeViere figured out a work around. He had Jay and Carmelo Miles take an occasional jumper, but primarily dribble penetrate to the middle of the court to force Trumansburg’s defenders to guard them.
“It’s percentages,” LeViere said. “We know we can get that shot at any point, so let’s not settle for that shot. We dribble penetrate, get them into rotation and we’ve got the four seniors who score the ball so well that if they’re not guarding Jay and Melo and they can drive, now they’ve got four great scorers they can kick the ball to. It’s forcing them to defend all five players, hitting guys in open spots and taking advantage of that.”
That allowed Scott to get isolation opportunities in the post, which he feasted on. The senior center scored 13 of his game-high 19 points after halftime once Dryden got comfortable working the ball around.
“The person that was guarding me had a weird leg behind me, so it was kind of weird to get into my post up,” Scott said. “Then he got his fourth foul and was taken out, so I was one-on-one with another player. It was over from there. The moment I’m one-on-one with a player, I think I’m going to score 90% of the time.”
Luke Eshelman and a dominant defensive first quarter helped Dryden get out to a big early lead. The Lions led 29-12 after Eshelman’s third triple of the first half midway through the second.
“My teammates were dribbling the ball, attacking the defense and penetrating” Eshelman said. “I was just moving with them and getting open and I was knocking down my shots. They were falling, so I kept shooting and the atmosphere was great.”
Eshelman knew he and his teammates were going to have to get shots up to draw Trumansburg out of the paint. He was confident that would work given the Lions’ propensity to hit from deep.
“It’s either they double him or attack us,” Eshelman said. “If they’re going to only have one man on him, we’re going to give him the ball. If they double him, it spaces out the court. Me, Peter, Danny (Murphy), we have plenty of shooters who can knock it down.”
Nydam followed Scott with 15 points, including four makes from deep, Murphy added 12 points, Eshelman pitched in 10 points, Jay Miles contributed nine points and Carmelo Miles had five points.
The Lions are ranked No. 10 in the state in the latest Class B poll. With four consecutive wins and control of the IAC Big Schools North Division, LeViere wants his guys to remain focused on next task –– Elmira Heights at 7 p.m. today at home –– before thinking about the IAC championship game or the Section IV Class B tournament.
“The message is the same it’s been all season, which is take it one game at a time,” LeViere said. “Win the next game and don’t overlook anybody, which we’ve done this year. We’ve shown up to play pretty much every game this year, which is a testament to them for having that laser focus each day.”
BOYS BASKETBALL
WESTHILL 64, CORTLAND 40
Cortland hung around with the No. 6 team in Class A in the state on the road, but a turnover-filled 24-8 third quarter doomed the Purple Tigers. Iniko Abani paced Cortland with nine points.
Zach Muir added six points for the Purple Tigers, Cal Albright, Logan Toomey and Owen Johnson all pitched in five points, Damauri Bell notched four points and Owen Michales, Tyler Thomas and Jaxson Gambitta recorded two points apiece.
CINCINNATUS 59, MCGRAW 52
John Schuyler and Zack Streichert combined for 38 points for Cincinnatus as the Lions held on after taking a 48-36 lead through three quarters. Schuyler finished with 21 points and three made triples, while Streichert had 17 points.
Trevor Shevalier scored eight of his 10 points for Cincinnatus in the second half, TJ Walker added six points and Jack Stafford contributed five points in the win.
Calob Sutton paced McGraw’s offense, scoring eight of his team-high 16 points in the first half. Blair Mulcahy and Mason Allen scored 10 points apiece, Brennan Wilson notched eight points, Owen Lea pitched in five points, Easton Livermore had three points and Riley Van Liew scored two points for the Eagles.
FAITH HERITAGE 83, DERUYTER 70
Dan Holl went off for a career-high 35 points, but DeRuyter got down 49-33 at halftime in the Rockets’ fourth loss in a row. DeRuyter is now 9-6 after starting 8-1.
Devens Whalen followed Holl with 13 points, Jackson Millett added nine points, Dylan Foster scored seven points and Josiah Hannafan and Jonah Baxter recorded two points apiece.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
SKANEATELES 41, CORTLAND 34
Gabby Brown recorded 14 points for Cortland, but the Purple Tigers lost the middle two quarters 24-13 in their their consecutive loss.
Lily Yang added 10 points with two made 3-pointers for Cortland, Lily Tinker, Aubree Larkin and Nora Gambitta notched three points apiece and Kartyr Hubbard made a free throw.
TULLY 34, FABIUS-POMPEY 25
Gabby Flatt knocked down three triples en route to an 11-point effort as Tully won the middle two quarters 24-12 to beat its biggest rival for the second time in four days.
Ella Polak added nine points for the Black Knights, Anna Congelli scored six points, Sydney Arnott notched five points and Kameryn Meaney made a 3-pointer.
HOCKEY
ITHACA 5, CORTLAND/HOMER 0
Jack Medeiros made 34 saves for Cortland/Homer, but the Golden Eagles couldn’t muster any offense in their fourth loss in a row. Cortland/Homer ends its regular season with a 5-13 record.
BOWLING
HOMER BOYS 7, CBA 0
CBA 7, HOMER GIRLS 0
John Bishop paced the Homer boys with a 258 high game and a 657 series as the Trojans closed out the season with just one game lost all season. Tanner Vogel (276 game, 636 series), Chris McMullin (188 game, 523 series), Ivan Eaton (193 game, 481 series), Caleb Hamilton (181 game, 210 game), John Holcomb (179 game, 147 series), Tyler Seymour (190 game) and Hoss Martin (128 game) rounded out the Homer boys’ effort.
Addy Platt recorded a high game of 171 and a 460 series for the Homer girls, which finished the season in third place. Kristen Combs (139 game, 404 series), Jaden Bush (128 game, 365 series), Annabelle Watkins (116 game, 321 series), Abbie Biviano (103 game, 85 game), Mikey Pittsley (96 game, 71 game) and Lucy Goodwin (68 game, 87 game) also added to the Homer girls’ effort.
UPCOMING SCHEDULE
BOYS BASKETBALL
Cortland at Homer, 6:45 p.m. today
Mater Dei at McGraw, 7 p.m. today
Groton at Candor, 7 p.m. today
Cincinnatus at Brookfield, 6 p.m. today
Elmira Heights at Dryden, 7 p.m. today
Moravia at Union Springs, 7 p.m. today
Southern Cayuga at Marathon, 7 p.m. Wednesday
OnTech Charter at Tully, 7 p.m. Wednesday
DeRuyter at Manlius Pebble Hill, 7 p.m. Wednesday
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Homer at Solvay, 6:30 p.m. today
Marathon at Southern Cayuga, 7 p.m. today
Candor at Groton, 6:30 p.m. today
Dryden at Elmira Heights, 6:30 p.m. today
Onondaga at Tully, 7 p.m. today
Union Springs at Moravia, 7 p.m. today
Cortland at Mexico, 6:45 p.m. Wednesday
Onondaga at Homer, 7:15 p.m. Wednesday
Elmira Notre Dame at Dryden, 7:15 p.m. Wednesday
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
No. 4 Fabius-Pompey at No. 1 Cincinnatus, 6 p.m. today
No. 4 Tully at No. 1 Mount Markham, 6:30 p.m. Wednesday
