Entering last week’s action, the Baldwinsville boys basketball team found itself in an unaccustomed location – sitting at the top of the Salt City Athletic Conference Metro division standings.
Granted, it was early in the season, and it was just a 2-0 league record, but the mere idea that the Bees could challenge for top honors was exciting to consider.
What had made B’ville’s back-to-back league wins over Liverpool (on Dec. 11) and Henninger (on Dec. 14) so impressive was that both were done without high-scoring guard Jake Marshall in the lineup.
Marshall was still out when Nottingham, a Section III Class AA finalist last winter but only 3-3 this season, came to Baker High School last Tuesday night, and the Bulldogs, with superior depth in its scoring rotation, defeated the Bees 82-71.
All game long, the pace was torrid, with the teams exchanging runs in a tightly-played first half. B’ville only trailed 38-37 at the break, but Nottingham contained them enough in a 19-12 third quarter to gain control.
J.J. Starling still had 29 points, with Eric Casey getting 15 points as Cam Weatherly had 11 points. Sunday Joshua and Nate Ray got six points apiece.
But the Bulldogs had five players score in double figures, led by Jaden Ezomo, who had 22 points. Dominic Dixon had 18 points and Mazi Jackson had 17 points as Nykis Edwards (12 points) and Khai Pugh (11 points) followed.
When the Bees traveled to Cicero-North Syracuse Friday night, the pace was far different, yet the outcome was the same as it was with Nottingham as B’ville fell 52-45 to the Northstars.
Even as it took an early 13-8 lead, the Bees had to work hard on each possession in the face of a C-NS defense that would limit them to eight points in the second quarter.
All through the second half, B’ville kept it close, yet could not put together the scoring run it needed, Starilng and Weatherly finishing with 14 points apiece as Max Dec and Chase Trombley each got six points.
Nick DeMonte paced C-NS, earning 18 points and seven rebounds. Justin DelVecchio got 12 rebounds to go with his six points as Anthony Tricarico had eight points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals.
