In working its way to an 11-3 record, the Baldwinsville girls basketball team faced its most trouble when it didn’t start a game well.

The Bees knew that, going into last Friday’s game against West Genesee, that it could not afford any sort of lapse, yet that is exactly what happened, a rough first half making the difference in a 54-35 defeat to the Bees.

These teams were supposed to first meet on Dec. 22, but it got snowed out. Now B’ville would see the reigning Section III Class AA champions twice the regular-season homestretch.

Getting to play at home first was supposed to give the Bees some kind of advantage – but it did not.

Solving B’ville’s defensive pressure, WG was red-hot from the outset, hitting its shots and, at the same time, playing superb defense while bolting out to a 20-5 lead by the end of the first quarter.

The Bees’ deficit reached 37-15 by halftime, far too much to overcome, especially since Claire McAllister, with 12 points, was the only B’ville player to score more than two field goals as McAllister added eight rebounds.

Eight other players got on the scoreboard, yet none of them had more than four points, done by Carolyn Brussel, Suzanne Johnson, Katie Pascale and Alena Criss. Jenna Costello finished with five rebounds.

Meanwhile, WG’s Mackenzie Smith poured in 23 points as Madison Smith got nine points and Haley Collins added six points.

A rematch with these same Wildcats in Camillus does not happen until Feb. 12. In the meantime, B’ville would get tested on the road this week with back-to-back trips to Nottingham and Fayetteville-Manlius, the latter a chance to avenge a narrow Jan. 20 home defeat to the Hornets.