Billies win the battle on Main Street

(Dakota Wiley delivers during a fast break for Williamsville South)

 

After facing off in the overall Section VI Class A championship game last March, Williamsville South and Amherst each graduated four starters from teams that were highly state-ranked.  It seemed uncertain when the two would be paired up again as opponents, until there was a shift in league allignments.  Amherst became the newest member of ECIC II this season, joining the same division as its Class A & Main Street counterpart.  That meant two games this season between the area rivals.  On Monday night, the first #BattleOfMainSt went down on Main Street and provided the down-to-the-wire ending fans were hoping to see last winter.

 

Opting to play its home game of the two-game series at Daemen College this year, Williamsville South hung in long enough to defend to the end, force overtime, and finish off Amherst in wild affair, 62-59.  The loss was the first of the season for Amherst, 3-1, while South improves to 3-0.

 

Greg Dolan and Dakota Wiley each scored a game-high 16 points for the Billies, made big plays, and hit big shots late in regulation and in overtime.  Williamsville South fell behind 50-44 as the game slipped under four minutes remaining in regulation when Amherst freshman Desean Ashley finished in the lane.  However, it would be the last offense the Tigers would muster until the game reached overtime as the Billies dug in defensively and added just enough to the scoreboard.

 

"We couldn't score," South coach Gabe Michael said.  "Their defense was swarming, they played a great game.  I think our defense didn't pick up until late, but I think our defense was the difference in this game.  I believe in these guys."

 

Adam Braniecki, who score 10 points in the game for the Billies, answered Ashley's bucket that gave Amherst the six-point lead with a 3-pointer from straight away at the 3:16 mark, making it 50-47.  A basket in the paint from Dolan on the next possession made it a one-point game.  For nearly two minutes late in the game, scoreless possessions by both teams became intense battles for rebounds, loose balls, and second shot opportunities.  Wiley connected on one of two attempts from the charity stripe with 49 seconds left in the game to tie things up at 50-50, where the score would remain until overtime.  Both teams had a chance to win it late, but neither could put the ball in the basket.  As 20 seconds remained in regulation, large student sections from each school took turns chanting "I believe that WE will win."

 

"This is why we play this game here in this atmosphere," Michael said.  "We needed to work this out in a tough environment."

 

Work it out they did.  Wiley and Dolan each sank a pair of free throws to open the overtime scoring.  Ashley and Marcellus Cooper answered with baskets for the Tigers, with Cooper's response coming in the form of a tomahawk dunk.  Another charity toss from Dolan had South leading 55-54, before Wiley launched a 3-pointer from the corner that sliced through the net for a 58-54 lead.  After an Amherst free throw, the Billies got a timely rebound and put back score from Dolan, positioned perfectly under the basket.  It gave South a 60-55 lead 1:05 left in the extra session and ended up being the game-clinching points.

 

"There were a couple of times where we missed box outs and Greg Dolan just grabbed the ball and put it in," Amherst coach Chris Kensy said.  "There's a reason why he's a Division I player as a junior. He defends, he gets those 50/50 balls, and he's got grit."

 

The Billies had gotten out to an early lead in the game after Dolan finished a fast break off with a swinging two-handed jam to make it 11-6.  The Tigers quickly regrouped and stole the momentum from South with a 10-0 run that gave them a 16-11 lead after one quarter.  Amherst never trailed for the rest of regulation and made life inside difficult all game, forcing South to shoot.  The Billies canned three 3-pointers in the second quarter, but then managed just three more the rest of the way.

 

"It's new, we're a new group and everyone wants to be the hero, but we need to take better shots," Michael said.  "Greg has to be the leader of that and once he starts taking great shots, it's amazing how everyone else starts taking great shots."

 

South's shooting woes led to the Tigers building an eight-point lead in the third quarter.  But just before the quarter ended, Anthony Lombardo scored a pair of buckets for the Billies, part of an eight-point stanza off the bench for him, to cut the deficit to 42-38 heading into the fourth quarter.

 

"He came in and gave us tons of energy," Michael said of Lombardo.

 

The Tigers balanced scoring attack saw four players reach double figures in the game, led by Will Alfieri's 14 points.  Da'Shawn Hines scored 11 points, while Marcellus Cooper and Jordan Barr each finished with 10 points.

 

South       11 -  13 - 14 -12 - 12 = 62

Amherst  16 - 10 - 16 - 8 -  9  = 59

 

Point Totals

Williamsville South:  Greg Dolan 16, Dakota Wiley 16, Adam Braniecki 10, Anthony Lombardo 8, Devin Degree 5, Cody Sanford 4, Mark Worthy 3

Amherst:  Will Alfieri 14, Da'Shawn Hines 11, Marcellus Cooper 10, Jordan Barr 10, Jake Funderburk 4, Richard Kay 4, Desean Ashley 4, Brian Fulford 2

 

-centercourt

Comments

[PJB]

Outstanding game, back and forth action with big plays by both teams in clutch situations.

South received solid games from their stalwarts Dolan and Wiley. In addition, their best games of the young season from Braniecki and Sanford (excellent defense on Cooper).

Amherst also had Alfieri and Ashley(handled South pressure very well) setup in big situations. Was surprised they didn't use their seeming strength advantage in the post a little bit more in the halfcourt.

[CloseOut]

Great efforts by both teams in a standing room only gym. I thought Amherst would go inside a little more but the Amherst forwards like to play outside. Credit South with a solid defensive effort and winning a lot of 50/50 balls. Anthony Lombardo gave South a big lift toward the end of regulation with a couple of big rebounds and put backs. I think Amherst is going to surprise a few people this season as they played team basketball and have a few unknown players who played very good games.