In a season already full of seminal moments, the Baldwinsville boys basketbll team went after its most memorable prize yet – namely, a sweep of the reigning state champions that could sew up a league title.
The Bees were 10-1 in the SCAC Metro division going into last Friday’s game at West Genesee, who had waited four weeks for payback after falling to B’ville 57-52 on Jan. 3.
Since J.J. Starling had burned the Wildcats for 16 fourth-quarter points in that come-from-behind win, WG had won eight in a row to keep pace with B’ville atop the league standings.
All of that was the backdrop as an overflow crowd in Camillus witnessed a tense rematch that featured droughts and surges on both sides, but the Bees ultimately taking a 49-45 defeat.
Other than a jumper in the opening minute, Starling was cold from the field throughout the first half and a good portion of the third quarter, too, amid loud “overrated” chants from WG’s student section.
But the Bees’ defense was in top form, holding the Wildcats without a point for more than five minutes, though WG did enough to take a 19-18 lead to halftime.
In the third quarter, Will Amica, sidelined by two early fouls, returned and scored 10 straight points as WG built a 38-28 advantage. But then Starling ended his drought with four straight 3-pointers in a 12-0 run to put the Bees in front.
WG absorbed all this and, over the game’s last four minutes, held the Bees without a field goal, getting back-to-back baskets from Sam Gallager and Adam Duszinski to gain a 47-43 edge.
Free throws by Chase Trombley cut the margin to two and, after Amica missed a free throw, the Bees had the ball in the final seconds with a chance to tie or win it.
But Starling missed a driving lay-up, Dudzinski got the rebound and was fouled with 2.2 seconds left. Dudzinski hit both free throws to clinch it, giving him 15 points for the night.
That late barrage helped Starling to a game-high 22 points. Bo Nicholson, despite serious foul trouble, had eight points, with Dan Fabrizio getting seven points and Trombley six points.
Not looking ahead to this game, the Bees first had to take care of last Tuesday’s game at Nottingham – and it did so, hanging on to beat the Bulldogs 60-56.
Having prevailed 71-58 over Nottingham in their first meeting Dec. 20, B’ville held the Bulldogs to nine points in the first quarter to move out in front.
And the rest of the game amounted to a long chase, the Bees clinging to a small margin as Nottingham, led by Jaden Ezomo’s 22 points, made several different charges.
Scoring depth beyond Starling’s 25 points helped the Bees hold on. Nicholson had 11 points, with Nate Ray getting eight points as Trombley and Fabrizio got six points apiece.
B’ville now has three straight home games, two of this week as Liverpool, on Tuesday, and Henninger, on Friday, both pay visits to Baker High School.
