Once more, the Baldwinsville boys basketball team found itself heading into the latter stages of the regular season not locked into a Section III Class AA playoff berth, though a trio of games last week gave the Bees a chance to relieve itself of that stress.
First, the Bees ventured to Nottingham last Monday night, a game that was on even terms most of the night, save for a third-quarter slump that proved costly for B’ville in a 57-50 loss to the Bulldogs.
Neither side could gain any sort of margin during the first half. Only trailing by one, 29-28, at the break, the Bees then managed just seven points in the third quarter, half of Nottingham’s total, and could not make up that new deficit the rest of the way.
Only Gabe Horan, with 13 points, scored in double figures, though David Cerqua and Jacob Marshall came close, getting nine points apiece as Cerqua hit three 3-pointers. Matt Dickman had eight points and Chris Taylor six points. Nottingham saw Jevon Jones and Malcolm Nelson get 14 points apiece ahead of Jaden Ezomo and Jakair Sanchez, who each earned 10 points.
This left the Bees at 6-7 overall going into Wednesday’s game at Oswego. Here, things did not improve for a while, but a second-half comeback salvaged a potential disaster as B’ville topped the Buccaneers 62-55.
All through the first half, Oswego’s attack steadily produced baskets, and it left the Bees staring at a 32-25 deficit. By the end of the third quarter, though, that deficit was gone, B’ville outscoring the Bucs 19-10 in that frame and not getting caught.
Marshall earned 22 points, much of it from four 3-pointers. Horan and Dickman both gained four field goals and four free throws, ending up with 12 points apiece as B’ville overcame a 26-point effort from Oswego’s Trey Clark.
Now, if the Bees could go to Henninger Friday and complete a regular-season sweep of the Black Knights (it won 79-66 at home on Dec. 22), the post-season berth would be assured since it had crossed the eight-win threshold needed to quality.
The Black Knights spoiled those plans, though, defeating B’ville 71-62 in large part because it sprinted out to a 24-7 lead by the end of the first quarter. For the rest of the game, the Bees attempted to catch up, but couldn’t do so, even though it did net 32 points in a wild, foul-filled fourth quarter.
Remarkably, no B’ville player reached double figures other than Alex Robinson, who had 16 points. Marshall gained nine points, while Cerqua had eight points. Alec Williams and Michael Bednarczyk had seven points apiece and Dickman earned six points.
By contrast, Henninger had Jaden Graves finish with 23 points, including five 3-pointers. Kaijah Rodgers finished with 12 points, while Zion Spara and Requan Porch gained 10 points apiece.
The loss dipped B’ville’s record to 7-8, but it still can gain playoff eligibility Tuesday if it won against visiting Corcoran before Friday’s trip to West Genesee.
