If it goes on to do something special this winter, the Baldwinsville girls basketball team might look back on Tuesday night’s game at West Genesee as the first signature moment.
Up against the three-time defending Section III Class AA champions, the Bees traded blows with the Wildcats until a closing burst with strong play on both ends produced a 53-40 victory.
Having started 2-0 with wins over Oswego and Nottingham, B’ville knew it had to step up to another level against West Genesee, who had seen its star duo of Mackenzie and Madison Smith graduate, but still had roared to a 4-0 start of its own.
Right away, the tone was set. With two swarming defenses that liked to press most of the time, every possession was a battle on nearly every inch of the court, with plenty of contact and each side having a difficult time converting, even from close range.
The Bees did manage to lead for most of the first half, and did go on a 10-2 run late in the second quarter to secure a 26-18 advantage going to the break.
WG’s top returning scorer, Catie Cunningham, helped pull her team back in the third period, scoring eight of her 12 points to help erase B’ville’s margin and tie it, 32-32.
But a trio of Bees would decide matters. First, it was Hannah Mimas hitting on a pair of 3-pointers, later adding a basket as eight of her 15 points came in the fourth quarter.
Then it was Katie Pascale, who had just two points going into the final period, using a series of drives and successful free throws to convert nine points, while freshman Kyrah Wilbur came off the bench to add four points, including a clinching three-point play with 1:09 left.
All told, B’ville outscored the Wildcats 16-3 over the games’ final four minutes, claiming a third straight win as it would meet WG again Jan. 31 at Baker High School.
In a rematch Thursday with the Oswego team it beat 48-34 nine days earlier, the Bees were even better this time, relentlessly taking the Buccaneers apart on the way to prevailing 54-21.
Ten different players saw action for B’ville, and each of them got at least one point. Leading the way, Jordan Roy earned 15 points, including three 3-pointers, while Pascale gained 14 points.
Right after next Tuesday’s game against Fayetteville-Manlius, B’ville flies down to Orlando, Florida, and will take part in the KSA Classic against foes from across the United States inside Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center.
