While the Baldwinsville girls basketball team remains just a step below the likes of Cicero-North Syracuse and Nottingham among Class AA contenders, it has inched closer to earning a winning record for the 2013-14 season.
The Bees got yet another chance to face a top opponent last Friday, when West Genesee paid a visit, but it turned unpleasant early and never got better for the Bees, who ended up absorbing a 77-30 defeat to the Wildcats.
Arriving at the Baker High School gym with an 8-1 record, WG proved it wasn’t a fluke in a decisive opening period where every B’ville mistake turned into points on the other end, the Wildcats not letting up until it had a 29-6 lead.
From there, the margin only got bigger, despite Rachael Miller nearly getting a triple-double as she earned eight points, nine rebounds and seven blocks, plus seven points and 10 rebounds from Riley Carlucci as Hope DeFazio matched Miller’s total of eight points.
By contrast, the Wildcats had 10 different player score at least three points, as Melissa Bakowski, with 17 points, and Melissa Fumano, with 16 points, led the visitors.
Prior to that, B’ville hosted Central Square on Tuesday night, and a big first-quarter outburst proved to be the difference as the Bees defeated the Red Hawks 59-45.
Applying all kinds of early pressure, B’ville forced Central Square into turnovers and, more importantly, converted on the other end, putting together a 19-5 run that was capped when Emily Pascale sank a three-quarter court shot at the horn.
The rest of the game was played on even terms, but that meant the Bees were fending off all of the Red Hawks’ charges, overcoming 13 points from Schyler Lax and 12 points from Claudia Stirpe.
Rachael Miller delivered a double-double of 15 points and 13 rebounds, adding seven blocks. Hope DeFazio managed 14 points and five rebounds, while Pascale put together 13 points, five assists and four rebounds.
Once B’ville (9-4) is done with Tuesday’s game at Henninger, it gets a two-week rest before resuming on Feb. 4 at Fayetteville-Manlius and heading down the regular-season homestretch.
