For a Cicero-North Syracuse boys basketball team that lacked momentum following a down regular season, a two-week break before the postseason was exactly what the doctor ordered.
The Northstars treated the break "like a preseason," trying to reset before their Class AAA quarterfinal bout with Christian Brothers Academy on Wednesday.
The approach paid dividends. No. 5 C-NS looked like a completely different squad in its convincing 56-38 takedown of No. 4 CBA in syracuse.com's Game of the Week.
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"We were diving on the floor, doing sprints like it was November," Northstars coach Kyle Martin said. "It almost made us think we're 0-0 and it's a brand-new season. Everything that went wrong doesn't matter anymore."
C-NS came out of the gate like a team that had been champing at the bit for two weeks. The Northstars took an early lead to go ahead 18-8 after the first quarter.
C-NS may have been sporting a "young team" with only one player who had played significant playoff minutes in the past, but that was not visible in its performance. In fact, the Northstars were propelled on the offensive end by freshman Ayden Stevens for the first three quarters.
However, when it came time to put the game away, that's when the experienced senior stepped up. C-NS guard Miy'Jon McDowell Reid dropped eight of his game-high 21 points in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
Not only did McDowell Reid bear the load on the offensive end, but he also guarded CBA standout Frank Ford on defense. Alongside Brennan Tyler, who was assigned to Brothers' guard Gino Bullock, the duo anchored the Northstars' stout defense.
"Miy'Jon was fantastic," Martin said. "He's everything we want him to be. Total control of the game offensively and defensively."
Ford and Bullock combined for 17 points on the night. Junior Gradyn Dixon added nine points for CBA.
The Brothers' season came to an end with a 9-12 record.
C-NS (9-12) moves on to face top-seeded Liverpool on Wednesday in the semifinals. The Northstars were swept in the season series against the Legends.
For Martin, though, the season is a success no matter what for his squad.
"They haven't flinched," Martin said.
"They deserve tonight, and they are not going to flinch going forward. They're going to keep battling like the team we think we are and it's a real testament to them. But no matter what happens, they've already won."
