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Cazenovia Boys Basketball Gets First Playoff Win With New Coach Cazenovia Basketball Gets First Playoff Win With New Coach

Caz got the 62-58 over Phoenix, the first for Head Coach Chris Bubble.

By Philip Galati IV

The Cazenovia boys basketball team huddles up before the game.
© 2024 Philip Galati

It’s new heights for a new tenure. Cazenovia High school got a 62-58 win over Phoenix in the Section III Class B playoffs on Wednesday night. For Coach Bubble, it’s a new step in the growth of the program, something he hopes to continue going forward.

“I’m excited for the kids, since I started coaching the program last year, it was our goal to win a sectional game, and to be able to continue to grow the program going forward.”

These two teams already met this year, the Lakers won the first by four, the Firebirds winning the second by two. So for Coach Bubble, it was going to be extra tough.

“They always present a challenge with how hard they play and their ability to move the ball, so I’m always a little stressed, but I’m glad we executed in the last couple minutes of the game and made a difference.”

Cazenovia got off to a dominant start and had a lead for four quarters, but early in the fourth, it was Phoenix tying it up and then taking its first lead of the game. So down the stretch, they turned to their first 1,000 point getter in Lakers history – Ben Bianco.

“I struggled in the first half a little bit, but started to get to the free throw line and that helped get me going.”

Junior Ben Bianco became the first Cazenovia Laker in men’s basketball history to reach 1,000 career points. He had 20 on the night, more than anybody else on the court, but says it was a team effort that got the win.

“We’ve been hungry the last couple of years, and our coach wants us to win and we want to win, so we’re staying hungry for the rest of the year, and my next year too.”

And as for how Caz plans to celebrate the night, well for Coach Bubble, there’s only one destination in mind.

“We’re going to go to Chik-Fil-A!”

In Phoenix, Philip Galati, N-C-C News.

PHOENIX, N.Y. (NCC News)  – Second year Cazenovia boys basketball head coach Chris Bubble led the Lakers to a first Sectional playoff win under his tenure with a 62-58 victory over Phoenix.

Cazenovia got out to a hot start, with a 17-8 lead after the first quarter. The Lakers still had a lead going into the fourth quarter, but Phoenix stormed back to take a lead going down the stretch.

Needing help, the Lakers turned to junior Ben Bianco, the first Cazenovia boys basketball player in school history to reach 1,000 career points.

“I struggled in the first half a little bit, but started to get to the free throw line and that helped get me going,” said Bianco.  “We’ve been hungry the last couple of years, and our coach wants us to win and we want to win, so we’re staying hungry for the rest of the year, and my next year too.”

The teams had two prior meetings in the regular season, with Cazenovia winning the first by four, and Phoenix winning the second by two.

“They always present a challenge with how hard they play and their ability to move the ball, so I’m always a little stressed,” said coach Bubble. “I’m glad we executed in the last couple minutes of the game and made a difference.”

And as for how the team was going to celebrate the new milestone? Coach Bubble had only one spot in mind.

“We’re going to go to Chik-Fil-A!”

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