OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen. Fredonia’s Nick Whitfield surveys the court during Thursday’s CCAA West 1 Division boys basketball game against Allegany-Limestone at Fredonia High School. The Allegany-Limestone Gators defeated the Fredonia Hillbillies 62-49 on Thursday to move two games up on the rest of the league.

Thursday night in Fredonia, the CCAA West 1 boys basketball division lead was hanging in the balance between the second-place Fredonia Hillbillies and the visiting first-place Allegany-Limestone Gators. By the end of the contest, it was clear that Fredonia had a lot more work left to do.

Allegany-Limestone held a double-digit lead for a large portion of Thursday’s 62-49 victory over the Fredonia Hillbillies at Fredonia High School to put the Gators clearly atop the CCAA West 1 Division.

In the biggest game of the year so far for Fredonia (10-4, 4-2), it took more than five minutes for the Hillbillies to score their first points of the game. Allegany-Limestone (12-2, 6-0) scored the first 12 points of the game, including a 10-0 run over the first half of the period. Tyler Putney finally got Fredonia on the board with a 3-pointer with 2:39 to go. Allegany-Limestone finished the first quarter with a 19-8 lead.

“It definitely sets you back from all the energy you have,” said Fredonia coach Nick Bertrando. “To get in a hole like that, it deflates you pretty quick.”

The second quarter began the same way the first quarter did, as the Gators scored the first eight points of the period over the first half of the frame. Bertrando called a timeout after a 3-pointer put Allegany-Limestone ahead 27-8 with 3:47 left in the first half.

“We had a lack of execution, and they did a nice job of hurrying us up,” said Bertrando. “We talked about settling down, but for whatever reason, we couldn’t get it going tonight.”

The Hillbillies showed up after that point, both offensively and defensively. After just eight points over the first 12 minutes, the Hillbillies closed out the quarter on an 11-0 run. Once the offense got going and the defense shut down the Gators for the final 3:47, Fredonia was back in the game with a deficit of 27-19 at the break.

“During our run, we made some of the shots we were missing earlier,” said Bertrando. “It started on the defensive end. … We continued to stick with the plan … but then the next thing I know, they’re on a 10-0 run again.”

Fredonia scored the first four points of the second half to cut the deficit to just four points, 27-23, with more than five minutes remaining in the third quarter. With nearly three minutes remaining, Fredonia trailed by six points, 34-28, but then Allegany-Limestone put the game to rest with a 13-0 run over the next two minutes. The Gators led 47-32 after the third quarter and led by double digits the entire fourth quarter.

“We tried to accelerate and put our foot on the gas, but it just didn’t happen tonight,” said Bertrando.

Fredonia now looks to regroup over the next week, as the Hillbillies are off until next Thursday when they host Olean in another league contest. Bertrando hopes now that the league title is not as attainable as it was, his team will refocus on preparing for a playoff run.

“Our sole goal was not just to win the league. It was just part of the plan, along with advancing in the playoffs and hopefully, a Sectional title,” said Bertrando. “This is an opportunity to refocus ourselves.”

NOTES: Nick Whitfield led Fredonia with 23 of the team’s 49 points. … Tyler Putney and Kaleb Rybij combined for 20 points, a game after they combined for 60 against Southwestern. … Putney led the team with seven rebounds and three blocks, in addition to his 12 points. … Patrick Reading added six rebounds.