In terms of circumstances, nothing is completely ideal when the opposition has won 13 straight games and is no. 6 in the state Class AA rankings.
Yet the Baldwinsville boys basketball team may have felt, going into last Monday night’s game at Liverpool, that it was catching the defending sectional champions at the best time possible.
And its effort reflected that belief as things were in doubt most of the way and the Bees weren’t put away until the final minutes of an 81-73 defeat to the Warriors.
Three nights earlier, Liverpool had survived a draining 83-81 double-overtime battle with Henninger, and now would have to turn around and face B’ville without one of its best players, Charles Pride, who injured his ankle early in that game.
Still, the Warriors pushed the tempo and put the Bees in a 44-32 halftime deficit. B’ville didn’t back off, though, pulling back within five, 62-57, by the end of the third quarter.
Right to the end, the Bees kept chase. Jacob Marshall led with 19 points, while J.J. Starling had 18 points. Casey Pluff, with 12 points, and Eric Casey, with 10 points, also hit double figures.
To hang on, Liverpool needed 22 points from Nas Johnson and 17 points from Peter Cerrone, who hit on four 3-pointers. Alan Willmes Jr. gained 13 points as Noah Issakainen got 11 points.
Two nights later, B’ville was home again, this time facing Fayetteville-Manlius, a critical game to both team’s post-season hopes since each of them had 5-8 overall records.
Yet it was the Bees dominating from start to finish in a 67-40 romp, holding the Hornets to two field goals in the first quarter while racing out to a 20-5 lead.
That margin mostly held up until B’ville pulled further away with a 12-0 run in the third quarter, the effort led by Pluff, who poured in 19 points before sitting in the fourth quarter.
Starling remained consistent, earning 13 points, while Sunday Joshua, the imposing new star at forward, poured in 11 points as Marshall contributed eight points.
Now the Bees looked for a road win when it ventured to Camillus Friday night to face West Genesee, in the midst of its own late-season revival that included a big win over state-ranked Cicero-North Syracuse the week before
And it was the Wildcats prevailing over the Bees 79-65. WG ran right through B’ville’s defenses, particularly Lucas Sutherland, who didn’t let up until he had 39 points, one of the best individual totals of the Section III season.
Down 45-27 at halftime, the Bees tried to catch up as Startling picked up most of his 22 points in the second half, while Marshall had 14 points and Joshua got 10 points. Sutherland proved too much, though, with help from Will Amica, who had 13 points.
B’ville would have a rematch with F-M Friday night after hosting Nottingham on Tuesday, and a sweep of these games would guarantee a return to the Section III Class AA playoffs.
