(Photo Source: Kevin L. Smith)
It’s been close to 40 years since the Cincinnatus varsity boys basketball team won a sectional title. On Sunday at the SRC Arena in Syracuse, the long-winded four-decade wait of no sectional crown officially came to an end.
Anchored by Scott Schuyler’s 20 points, the 3-seeded Lions knocked off top-seeded Hamilton in overtime by a score of 64-62 to grab the Class D title. The Lions were listed as 5th in the NY state rankings for class D teams, while Hamilton was ranked 3rd in the state. The loss was Hamilton’s first this season.
“It’s been a long time,” Cincinnatus coach Jim Halstorm said. Halstrom was a senior on the Lions’ squad that snatched a Section IV Class D trophy during the 1983-84 season. Cincinnatus defeated Edmeston, 68-54, that season for the sectional final victory, he added.
“These guys are such competitors,” Halstrom said of his team Sunday. “They played their hearts out today.”
Sunday’s victory was the third-straight battle in OT for the Lions. Cincinnatus topped sixth-seeded Madison (64-58) in the sectional quarterfinals, knocked off 15th-seeded Town of Webb (66-58) in the sectional semifinals and fended off Hamilton in OT for Class D supremacy.
“A lot of the fans told me after the first game ‘Please don’t do that again. It makes us nervous,’” Schuyler said of the sectional quarterfinals overtime win. “Second game, ‘Are you kidding me? I’m more nervous.’ I don’t even know what they were thinking (today), but it was amazing.”
Cassia Schuyler, a ninth grader at Cincinnatus High School and also Scott’s sister, led the crowd section at every home and sectional playoff game for the Lions this season.
“My brother and those boys (motivated me),” Cassia Schuyler said. “All they want to do is win for the team and not for themselves.”
The Lions were clinging to an 11-10 lead following the first quarter. Midway through the second quarter, Cincinnatus found itself with a commanding 19-10 advantage.
The Emerald Knights, however, went on a 23-14 run from the second to the end of the third quarter, which suddenly showed the score knotted at 33-33.
Both teams had an offensive explosion in the fourth quarter. Each squad tallied 19 points, which was enough for it to be tied at 52-52 and bring forth OT.
The Lions did enough in OT, as they outscored the Knights, 12-10, to stun the top-seeded Class D squad.
“Hamilton played a great game. We played a better game,” Scott Schuyler said. “I’m so happy for myself, my team and the fans.”
“We were sick of coming in second,” Canden Stafford said. “It was time for a change.”
Scott Schuyler tallied 15 of his 20 points in the second half and OT, and Stafford finished with 15 points for the Lions. Kooper Vosburg chipped in 12 points. Canden was named to the Section 3 Class D Boys Basketball Tournament team, while Scott was named Section 3 Class D Boys Basketball Tournament MVP.
Canden Stafford (left) and Scott Schuyler (right). (Photo Source: Kevin L. Smith)
“I just came out and I was shooting, shooting and shooting. We all felt like that today,” Stafford said.
“We have a number of guys who play hard, and that’s what makes a difference,” Halstrom said.
Cincinnatus moves on to the New York State Class D regional round, where they’ll take on Heuvelton Central (Section X) at noon Saturday at Liverpool High School.
Halstrom noted the Lions will “prepare (this week) and do the best we can (on Saturday).”
“I love it and I can’t wait to be there,” Stafford said of Saturday’s matchup against Heuvelton Central.
Here are some photos of yesterday's game (Photos provided by Kevin L. Smith & Timothy A Bennett/The Cortland Voice):
