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SYRACUSE – March Madness spread Sunday to a lesser known Syracuse basketball court.
While brackets were busted all over America this weekend, including Obama’s picks of Michigan State and Lousiville, chalk talked in the Syracuse Parks and Recreation Basketball Tournament played at the Syracuse Community Center. The top two seeds, No. 1 Hoop Stars, and No. 2 Bye Week advanced to the final and played a very cagey overtime battle that ended with Hoop Stars outlasting Bye Week 82-72.
Bye Week jumped out to a quick 20-12 lead in the first half, only to have the Stars pull within one at the half, 33-32. Led by the interior play of Daniel Butler and the outside shooting of Monty Marion, Bye Week jumped out to a 46-40 lead in the second half, but an 8-0 run from Hoop turned the tables. Key threes in the run by Joe Leach and Robbie Gingerich kept the Stars close.
Marion would drain three more triples, ultimately putting Bye Week up 62-61 with six minutes to go. A Marion runner with 1:25 to go tied the score at 66.
Both teams had plenty of chances to break the tie but could not convert in regulation. Bye Week suffered a tough break as well in the final moments when Jon Ganger drew his fifth foul. With just five in uniform, Bye Week would play shorthanded the rest of the way.
In overtime, Andy Curry put Hoop Stars on his shoulders, scoring eight of the team’s 16 points.
Getting to the final, Hoop Stars needed four free throws from Robbie Gingerich in the final minute to slip past No. 5 seed Basket Junkies, 69-65. Bye Week built a 21-point lead in the first half of its semi-final win over No. 3 Dark Helmet, pulling away 90-67. Dark Helmet cut the lead to eight in the second half only for Bye Week to score on nine of its next 11 possessions.


