By Rob Centorani

Staff Writer

SYRACUSE _ In a game that plodded along like a six-some on a golf course, Oneonta High’s attempt to solve Hannibal’s matchup zone failed miserably.

The Yellowjackets missed 36 of their 50 shots from the field, many coming from behind the three-point arc, in a 45-37 Class B state quarterfinal boys basketball loss Saturday.

Throw in four blown layups and 4-for-9 shooting from the free throw line, and it’s no wonder they left Manley Field House a loser.

Athletically and physically, OHS seemed at least the Warriors’ equal on this day, but a lack of execution in the half-court was its undoing.

"It was a really weird defense and we really couldn’t figure out what to do against it," OHS junior forward Dan O’Brien said of Hannibal’s zone, some 2-3 and some 1-1-3. "We just tried to get any open shot we could."

Even with the crooked shooting, the Jackets (18-5) had their chances.

Alex VanDeusen punctuated a 5-0 run early in the fourth quarter when he hit a three-pointer from the top of the key off an O’Brien pass, cutting Oneonta’s deficit to 32-29 with 5 minutes, 10 seconds left.

Hannibal’s Jeff LaMont answered 1:10 later with a foul-line jumper to make it 34-29.[an error occurred while processing this directive]