While the Billies had enjoyed reasonable success last year, there was no top ten ranking or sectional crown to point to. Coming into this season, Williamsville South wanted to take the next step as a team. A season-opening rivalry win on the road forced South to rally in the second half. Against a talented MMA opponent in Timon at the AdPro Challenge on Saturday, the Billies demonstrated the ability to finish a game. Last night, South visited Cheektowaga, another formidable WNY large school. Once again, the Billies passed an early season test. Heading into the holidays with a 5-0 mark that includes some quality wins, South has shown its expectations are warranted. The next step for South as a team would be to win ECIC II, to finish the season as a ranked large school in WNY, to win a Section VI title...all things that are still months away. Based on the way South has played in the first month of the season, they're ready to start stepping.
Williamsville South got scoring from nine different players, led by an 18-point night by freshman floor general Greg Dolan, in a 63-55 win at Cheektowaga.
In a competitive contest throughout, it was Williamsville South who managed to maintain an advantage and never let the Warriors get any closer than three points during the entire second half. Just 37 seconds before halftime, Devon Camel (10 points) scored for Cheektowaga to cut the South lead to 25-22, the closest the Warriors had been in the quarter. But as the final seconds ticked down to end the half, the ball was kicked out to the Billies' Graham Dolan, who was waiting on the left wing. He let a long 3-pointer fly that fell through the hoop as the buzzer sounded, giving his squad a 28-22 lead heading into the break.
Another long-range bust by Graham Dolan started the third quarter off right for the Billies, extending their lead to 31-22. After a stop, South had the ball back, but turned it over near mid court, when Cheektowaga's Dominick Welch stepped in front of a pass, heading the other direction, uncontested. He finished with a slam to fire the home crowd up and then followed it up with another quick score, to get the Warriors back within five points, 31-26. However Cheektowaga was unable to get any closer in the quarter and saw the Billies take a 44-37 lead into the final frame.
A 3-pointer from Jordan Buell to start the fourth quarter got the Billies back to a double digit lead, 47-37. It would be just enough of a cushion for South. Late in the quarter, Cheektowaga strung together three straight possessions where they answered two South points with three of its own. Camel stuck a trey in response to a pair of South free throws. Welch converted a three-point play following the next bucket from the Billies, and then chased another productive trip to the line for South with his own blast from behind the arc for '3'. With under two minutes remaining, Cheektowaga had scratched its way back in, and trailed just 55-52.
After a basket from South's Matt Foster to make it 57-52, the Billies got a stop and then found Graham Dolan, who was waiting to drop the hammer - his third 3-pointer of the evening that made it 60-52 with under a minute to play.
"I thought they followed the game plan perfectly, they only had one day to work on it" South head coach Gabe Michael said. He also specifically praised the defensive contributions of Greg Dolan and Myles Hall.
Greg Dolan's performance included multiple timing steals, picking off passes and converting them into points in the other direction. Kam Varner quietly went to work inside all evening for South, with a workman like performance that also included keeping the Warriors at bay in the third quarter by sinking all his attempts from the charity stripe. Hall came off the bench to give the Billies his usual burst of energy & make an immediate impact on the game and David Isselbaecher drilled the first shot he let fly upon entering the game - a 3-pointer in front of the Warriors bench.
Welch led Cheektowaga with 22 points, while fellow sophomore teammate Stephan Parker scored 16 points. Parker, who comes off the bench for the Warriors, has been extremely impressive in every game I've seen him play this season. Built similar to Welch, Parker's game has similarities to that of Welch also. He can hurt you from all over the court, handles the ball well, and is aggressive in the paint going after rebounds - definitely a player to look out for the next time you watch Cheektowaga play.
Williamsville South is off until the Jolly Boy's Tournament, which they host on January 2nd & 3rd. The Billies face St. Francis in the first round, and will meet either Aquinas or Amherst the following night. Cheektowaga resumes play on January 6th, when they host Maryvale in ECIC III action.
-centercourt
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