(Matt Foster communicates with Greg Dolan during South's win at Starpoint)
This season started out really well for Williamsville South. They opened the season with a nonleague win at district rival and the #6 large school, Williamsville North. They also took care of MMA large schools, Timon and St. Francis in nonleague action, as well as gaining a road win at defending Class A2 champ, Cheektowaga. The Billies lone loss came at the hands of Section V private school, Aquinas, currently ranked #14 in the state in Class AA. In league play, the results for the Billies have been even better. Coming into this week, South had won its six league games by an average of 29 points per game. The only team it hadn't yet faced was Starpoint, who had also made it through the first five games in ECIC II without a league loss. Last night the Billies visited Starpoint, and before they left, they took firm control of ECIC II.
Williamsville South focused on defending better in the second half, and kept on scoring to pull away from Starpoint, 63-51. The win gives the Billies sole possession of first place in ECIC II and improves their recond to 11-1 overall and 7-0 in the league. Starpoint slipped to 9-2 overall and 5-1 in ECIC II.
"We hadn't played in a real competitive game in a while and they needed to get their competitive juices flowing", South head coach Gabe Michael said.
Starpoint was definitely a game opponent and gave the Billies a competitive game, particularly in the first half. Both teams looked very efficient offensively, whether running halfcourt sets or in transition. Christian Nodine was aggressive getting to the basket for the Spartans and piled up 12 first half points. As the attention started to go Nodine's direction, it opened up room for Adam Lasal, who came off the bench to drill three 3-pointers for Starpoint.
For the Billies, Matt Foster set the tone early on the offensive end, getting to the basket seemingly at will and going up strong to finish. Foster can really get up, which helps him secure rebounds and get shots off in the paint, but he can also put the ball on the floor, which allows him to step out to get the ball and work his way inside. Foster scored 13 first half points.
The lead changed 12 times and the game was tied another six times in the first half. With the score knotted at 33 apiece late in the half, Sam Castronova stuck a '3' from the right side. A Starpoint turnover in the final seconds of the half, resulted in a bucket from Graham Dolan at the buzzer, giving the Billies a 38-33 halftime advantage.
"It was one of theose halftime talks where I asked - anyone want to change anything", Michael said. "It was a no - we just didn't play great defensively. Offensively we were good, which made up for it".
With a focus on playing better defense coming out of the locker room for the second half, South seemed ready to pour it on. A pair of scores each from Greg Dolan and Castronova quickly pushed the Billies' lead to 46-35. But then over the final five minutes of the third quarter, South managed just one field goal, while the Spartans got scoring from Ben Walters, Brock Kroening, and Nodine, to head into the final stanza on a 9-2 spurt, and trailing by just four points, 48-44.
Once again Greg Dolan stepped up in the game's critical juncture, beginning the fourth quarter with a 3-pointer and a free throw, and then setting up Myles Hall with an open look in the corner from downtown. Dolan later had a steal and layup, before once again dishing to Hall for another '3' that extended South's lead to 12 points.
Greg Dolan finished with a game-high 19 points, to go along with seven assists and six rebounds. Foster scored 18 points, collected 11 boards, and swatted four shots away. Graham Dolan added seven points and four blocks, while Kam Varner chipped in seven rebounds.
"We've got all sorts of guys who can step up", said Michael. "That's kind of the beauty of this group".
Nodine and Kroening shared team-high scoring honors for the Spartans, each finishing with 16 points. Lasal ended his evening with nine points and Walters added seven points for Starpoint.
-centercourt
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