Winning has become a good habit for the Marcellus boys basketball team. It’s just that one or two more wins each season would be better. Two of the last three years, the Mustangs have made it to the Section III Class B-1 title game, only to get beat — by Holland Patent in 2007, then Westhill in 2009 in the wake of a 19-4 campaign. With five seniors, including Dan Heil, Zach Barbaro and Scott Cotter, gone from the picture, Marcellus appeared to face a steep task as the 2009-10 season got underway. But in last Wednesday night’s opener against Phoenix, the Mustangs were in control from start to finish, more than doubling the Firebirds’ output in a 90-40 romp. Playing at a quick pace, Marcellus took full control in the second quarter, outscoring Phoenix 27-10 to move its margin to 47-23. And it got even more lopsided in the second half as 10 of the 12 Mustang players that saw action got at least one field goal. Will Fiacchi led the charge. The senior forward poured in 22 points, eight rebounds and seven steals, assuming a good portion of the inside work Barbaro and Cotter had done in recent years. Steve Raven had 12 points, while newcomers Mike Fox and Chaz Hayes also hit double figures — Fox with 11 points, Hayes with 10 points. Jeff Crysler gained nine points, with Niko Wagner (eight points) and Will Nolan (six points) also contributing. From there, the Mustangs went east to play in the Coaches vs. Cancer Tournament at Glens Falls Civic Center, annual site of the boys basketball state final four. It started Friday with the Mustangs earning a 58-54 win over South Glens Falls. Down 29-24 at the break, Marcellus rallied behind 16 points from Fiacchi and 15 points from Fox, while Raven (11 points) also hit double figures. Nolan added six points. A day later, Marcellus suffered its first defeat of the season, 65-59, to Williamsville South from the Section VI ranks. South led, 40-30, at the half, and Marcellus could not rally despite Fiacchi dominating in the paint with 25 points, nine of them successful free throws. Raven ahd 14 points, with Nolan getting eight points and Wagner six points. Also, the Marcellus girls team had a solid start. After going 13-8 a season ago, the Mustangs started its campaign by going to Phoenix and beating the Firebirds 45-36. The Mustangs held Phoenix to two points in the first quarter, taking a lead it would not relinquish the rest of the way as the margin grew to 36-24 by the end of the third quarter. It was, essentially, a three-player show, as Melissa Lee put up 17 points, with Megan Tock and Marie Temara earning 12 points apiece. Marcellus then kept it close with Westhill into the fourth quarter before falling to the Warriors by a score of 46-38. The Mustangs only trailed 33-32 going into the fourth quarter, but the Warriors got clear, holding Lee to 10 points as Tock (seven points), Christa Rockburn and Beth Abbott (six points each) tried to help out. Westhill’s Emily Haggerty had 19 points, most of them from five 3-pointers, as eighth-grader Anna Ross had 14 points.