As it grew up this winter, the Baldwinsville girls basketball team turned into a tougher unit to beat, but the lessons continued all the way to the end.
With a late lead at Utica Proctor in last Saturday’s opening round of the Section III Class AA playoffs, the Bees could not hang on, leading to a 47-45 defeat to the Raiders.
B’ville entered as the no. 9 seed, knowing a win at Utica would mean a shot at top seed and defending champion Corcoran, a prospect it did not completely fear.
After a 24-hour wait for Friday’s snow to clear out, B’ville went to work at Proctor, setting a quick pace in the first quarter and claiming an 18-15 lead.
When it slowed up in the second period, Proctor caught up and tied the game 24-24, but B’ville cranked up its defense in the third period, holding the Raiders to six points and going back in front, 34-30.
So it remained through much of the fourth quarter, but as the Bees closed in on victory, the Raiders made one big move.
Between Sarina Olds’ basket and three-point play, and Briana Kiesel’s pair of big free throws, the Raiders went in front. B’ville still had a chance to win it, but a 3-point try went off the rim as time ran out.
Claire Monnat led B’ville with 14 points. Maggie Monnat produced 13 points as Lauren Brower got 10 points and Lauren McVey added eight points. Kiesel, who already has more than 1,000 points in her career as a sophomore, led both sides with 18 points.
Finishing with a 9-12 mark, the Bees will be quite dangerous in 2009-10, as the Monnat sisters will only be sophomores. McVey returns, too, though Brower graduates.
