With more than a week to practice and work on the problems exposed in back-to-back defeats to Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool, the Baldwinsville girls basketball team was eager to find out if, indeed, things had improved.

Facing Henninger last Saturday at Onondaga Community College’s Allyn Hall, the Bees trailed at one point in the fourth quarter, but were able to take over in the final minutes to beat the Black Knights 51-43.

All through the first half, B’ville utilized a fast tempo and played consistent defense to build a 36-20 advantage, only to see that advantage melt away as Henninger fought back.

For a brief moment in the final period, the Black Knights went in front by one, but it didn’t last. Free throws by game MVP Katie Pascale restored the Bees’ advantage for good, and it also got key baskets late from Sydney Huhtala.

With the win, B’ville improved to 4-2 overall, 1-2 in the Salt City Athletic Conference Metro division, going into Tuesday’s game at Nottingham, the prelude to a Dec. 27-29 trip south for three games in a tournament at Falls Church High School in Virginia.