人兽性交

The Cayuga County basketball players suffered one of the more serious injuries in their sport.

But two months into their first season back 鈥� and after an unlikely connection between them 鈥� they're playing like they never left.聽

Led by Baylor, Moravia boys basketball sits at 10-1 and is ranked No. 11 in the state in Class C. Bennett and Southern Cayuga girls basketball, meanwhile, boast a record of 10-4.

To get to where they are today, however, both Baylor and Bennett had to battle themselves first.聽

'I wanted to make a name for myself'

As a sophomore, Baylor contributed to the Blue Devils in almost every category, averaging 16.5 points, eight rebounds and five assists per game as they advanced to the NYSPHSAA Class C semifinals聽in 2023. While Moravia came up short in its quest for a state title, it was apparent to head coach Todd Mulvaney that Baylor was determined to get his team back in the same position the following year.

鈥淛oe was having a phenomenal offseason,鈥� Mulvaney told 人兽性交.

鈥淗e was dominating both summer leagues that we were in. He was just giving us a different presence inside because we could put him聽anywhere.鈥�

During a game that summer, however,聽Baylor鈥檚 career would hit a roadblock. After going for a backdoor cut his right knee gave out, resulting in a torn ACL, MCL and meniscus.聽

It was a massive blow to a team with state championship aspirations, but Mulvaney appreciated how his players rallied around the injured Baylor. And rally would they ever.聽

In 2023-2024, the Blue Devils would go 21-2 on the way to their second straight Class C semifinal.

Prior to Moravia taking the bus ride to Glens Falls, there were discussions whether Baylor could return.

鈥淚 was practicing a little bit,鈥� Baylor told 人兽性交. 鈥淚 was getting ready to play in the final four and state championship games, but I just wasn't ready.鈥�

By then, Baylor had been rehabbing for nearly six months. But the injury can take anywhere from 9 months to a year to fully recover from, so Mulvaney and Baylor believed it was best to play it safe.

鈥淲e didn't want to push too hard,鈥� Mulvaney said. 鈥淛oe's a competitor. If Joe isn't playing to what he thinks his standard is, he doesn't want to put himself on the court. I think that was the mental piece. He wasn't 100% confident physically, and I think he also didn't have confidence in his game yet. And rightfully so.鈥�

Despite not having their dynamic 6-foot-4 junior, the Blue Devils captured their second state title in program history that March with a 41-38 win over Haldane. During a time filled with jubilation, it was tough for Baylor to accept that he wasn鈥檛 able to contribute. That made the mental aspect of his rehab more challenging 鈥� and made him want to carve out his own path this season.

鈥淲e won the state championship, and I didn't help at all (on the court),鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was tough sitting on the bench.聽

鈥淚 knew that I didn't want to be represented by (last year鈥檚 team). I love those guys, but I wanted to make a name for myself, too.鈥�

Now a senior, Baylor has looked to do just that.

Since losing its season opener to Southern Cayuga, Moravia has won 10 straight games. Baylor has been at the forefront of those wins, averaging over 20 points, nine rebounds and three assists a game.

鈥淚 honestly am grateful for the one year (off), because it made me so much more physical," Baylor said. "People can't run through me, and I can score anytime I want inside.鈥�

Along with his added physicality on the court,聽Mulvaney has noticed another way the four-year varsity player has grown.

鈥淗e is quietly leading this team," he said. "It's something that has not always been his role, because he's always been the young guy playing with older guys. Now he's had to learn how to be the leader. ... I think that has been really great for Joe, and it's been some growth for him, personally, outside of the court as well.鈥澛�

'It's a battle up here'

While Baylor was in the midst of rehabbing from his knee injury in January 2024, Bennett would suffer her own.

After attempting a against Newfield on Jan. 19 鈥� a week after she broke Southern Cayuga's all-time scoring record 鈥� her right knee twisted inward, which resulted in a torn ACL and MCL. Following the season-ending injury, Southern Cayuga went 2-5 over its final seven games to finish with a record of 12-8.聽

Since it was the first time Bennett had been away from the court at length, it took awhile for her to come to terms with what happened.

鈥淓veryone says these kinds of injuries are 90% mental and 10% percent physical. That's the best way to describe it because it鈥檚 a battle up here,鈥� she told 人兽性交.

鈥淔rom the month between (when) it actually happened and I got surgery, I was in denial.鈥澛�

As Bennett turned her focus to the road ahead, she decided to reach out to Baylor for advice since she was friends and teammates with his girlfriend.

鈥淚 told (Bennett) the most important aspect is to get your knee in the best shape you could get it before you have surgery,鈥� Baylor said.

鈥淪o that when you come out of surgery, it takes like a week or two and you start walking. Once you start walking, the recovery flies off.鈥�

A month following her surgery on Feb. 15, 2024, Bennett was back on the court for restricted training. Three months later, she was back to running.

With the 2024-2025 season approaching, and with Bennett nearly being cleared for action, she and Baylor spoke again so she could prepare for her return.聽

鈥淗e told me, 鈥楾he first month or two, there's gonna be times where you step weird and (you're) gonna be like, ugh. You just got to get over that hump,鈥欌�� Bennett said.

鈥淗e gave me reassurance that it's gonna be normal, it's not gonna feel exactly the same, but it's gonna be fine.鈥澛�

With Bennett eager to get back on the court, but not entirely sure how she would feel when she did, head coach Ed Heslop was cautious about how he distributed the senior鈥檚 minutes.聽

鈥淪he was hesitant early on. We played her a lot less in the scrimmages," he told 人兽性交. 鈥淲e made sure we managed the game, and let her kind of grow into being back to the player (she was).鈥�

Months later, that patience has paid off.聽

While she averaged 23 points and 11聽rebounds a game as a junior prior to the injury, Bennett has stepped her game up even further during her final season at Southern Cayuga. The senior is putting up 26 points, 17 rebounds and over five steals a game. But she has elected to shelve the Euro step for the foreseeable future.聽

鈥淎 little PTSD there,鈥� Bennett said with a chuckle. 鈥淚 don't even really think to do it anymore, because I'm not even gonna try it. It鈥檚 just a little bit scary to me.鈥�

As Bennett rounds out her fifth-and-a-half and final year on varsity, her work ethic and ability to raise up those around her is what has stuck out to her longtime coach.

鈥淪he's a great kid from a great family who puts in the work and effort, to not only make herself better, but make her teammates and the team better,鈥� Heslop said.

鈥淪he has done that and improved on that every year.鈥�