Dolan & the Billies shine in South Buffalo

(Greg Dolan took control in the Billes' win at Timon)

 

After back-to-back trips to the regionals in Class A and a trip to Glens Falls last March, Williamsville South graduated four starters from a cohesive unit that grew up as friends and played like it on the court.  But the Billies did return one starter this season, who would team up with a new cast of players determined to create their own legacy at South.  After a 4-0 start to the season that now includes a road win at MMA powerhouse Timon and an early-season signature performance, Greg Dolan and the new crew at South are looking like the best team in Section VI.

 

Behind Dolan's scintillating performance and a bevy of contributions from his teammates, Williamsville South went into Timon and earned a 68-62 victory in a great game that featured two of WNY's very best teams going at it like heavyweights.  Dolan scored a game-high 30 points, collected nine rebounds, and dishes four dimes in the victory, while keeping the Billies undefeated in the process.

 

"He finds ways to score," said Timon coach Des Randall.  "We challenged him to make shots tonight - he made them. We challenged him to make free throws - he made them. He gets tips & steals on defense...he finds a way."

 

Watching Dolan steer the ship at South for now the third season of what will be a four-year varsity career has already been a blast.  The junior guard has incredible footwork and defensive prowess, along with a handle that no player in WNY can match.  But what has been most impressive about him is the competitive fire he possesses that brings the players best out of the players he takes the court with.

 

"He's a winner," Randall said.  "He finds a way to win."

 

South got to work quickly against the Tigers, who slipped to 2-1 in the loss.  Anthony Lombardo and Devin Degree each popped 3-pointers in the first 90 seconds of the game for the Billies, who appeared immediately focused defensively.  After Timon got on the board, Dolan took his turn from long range to push the Billies' lead to 9-2.  Getting his night started with a splash was just the beginning.  

 

Dolan got to the basket for South's next two scores and converted the second for a traditional three-point play.  On the next trip down the floor, Dolan banged another 3-pointer to give his team a 16-5 lead and got the South reserves fired up.

 

"We knew we had to bring the energy," said Dolan.  "Our bench acts as the student section at these away games."

 

"We didn't match their level of intensity at the start  I knew he (Gabe Michael) would have them ready to play," Randall said.

 

Despite the early surge from the Billies, the home team dug in and swung right back.  Joe Harrison drilled a pair of 3-pointers before the quarter ended, then added another basket at the buzzer to tie the game at 17-17.  The Tigers kept it going to start the second quarter and ultimately used a 17-3 run to take a 22-19 lead.

 

After three more points from Dolan on a bucket and free throw, Chris Nelson came off the bench to knock down South's fifth '3' of the contest, restoring a 25-24 lead.  After a stop by the Billies, they were back in the offensive end when the ball went out of bounds near the Timon student section.  With Dolan in close proximity, the group known as 'The Militia' let him know where he was regarded by them, chanting "overrated."  

 

"Timon is a great place to play," said Dolan.  "It was fun, I enjoyed listening to them.  I like hearing that stuff, that's what makes me go -- it made the whole team go."

 

As if to say "I'll show you overrated", Dolan responded with a flurry over the next 50 seconds.  First came a quick basket.  Then a steal set up Dolan on the perimeter, where he let another bomb fly...swish!  During the next trip down the floor, Dolan started breaking down the defense with the ball in his hands.  Penetrating into the lane where it looked like he would score again, he instead sent the ball zipping out to the corner where Dakota Wiley was waiting to reward Dolan's unselfishness with an assist, sinking a trey.  A 14-2 run had put South firmly back in front, 33-24.

 

"I saw him out of the corner of my eye," said Dolan.  "That's a shot he's making everytime."

 

After netting 19 points by halftime, Dolan scored the first two buckets of the third quarter and South led 40-31.  Timon got the game's next eight points to pull within one, with six of those coming from Davion Warren (team-high 23 points).  Degree's second '3' of the night prevented Timon from regaining the lead and shortly after, Wiley connected again from the perimeter to give the Billies 10 treys through three quarters.

 

Facing a 53-47 deficit to open the fourth quarter, Timon turned to Harrison again, who had given the team a spark with his shooting when facing an early hole.  The senior sniper came through again by drilling two quick threes to tie the game.  A pair of charity tosses from Tim Payne gave Timon its first lead of the second half, 55-53, with 6:41 left to play.  After Dolan and Warren traded buckets, the Billies got some key contributions to take the lead back for good and close the game out.

 

Adam Braniecki went 6/6 from the free throw line over the final four minutes for South, while Wiley added three tosses and a key backcourt steal.  Cody Sanford, who played the whole fourth quarter with four fouls but continued to be tough defensively, added a basket, along with another from Degree.  The Billies ended the game on a 13-5 push without any more points from Dolan.

 

"To win that game in that atmosphere justifies all the hard work we've put in to this point," said South coach Game Michael.  "We're not as polished a team as we were last year...yet.  The little details of a big game like this are what's going to get us there and to where we need to be."

 

Michael praised the individual perfoemances of all nine players that saw time in the game for South, including the all around effort from Sanford, tough rebounding from Lombardo, handling the ball and effectively dealing with Timon's pressure by Degree, Wiley (14 points & five steals) & Mark Worthy, the quality minutes the team got from Nelson and Josh Foster when building their lead, and Braniecki's clutch free throw shooting late.

 

"Those types of games are what you live for in high school basketball," said Dolan.

 

Timon got double figures from three players in the game.  Besides Warren's team-high 23 points, Harrison scored 19 points, while Master Radford added 14 points and was a force inside all evening.

 

"They are tough," Michael said.  "They're big, physical, and strong -- they're going to bother some teams, that's a really good team."

 

 South   17 - 19 - 17 - 15 = 68

Timon  17 - 14 - 16 - 15 = 62

 

Point Totals

South:  Greg Dolan 30, Dakota Wiley 14, Devin Degree 8, Adam Braniecki 8, Chris Nelson 3, Anthony Lombardo 3, Cody Sanford 2

Timon:  Davion Warren 23, Joe Harrison 19, Master Radford 14, Juston Johnson 4, Tim Payne 2

 

-centercourt

Comments

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One of the more physical high school game I have seen in a long time and thought the officials were about ready to lose control of it. Both teams played hard and the atmosphere was terrific. South’s supporting cast played tough hard-nosed basketball. Timon had a clear size advantage but South won more than their share of 50/50 balls. Timon will be a force in the MMA, they are big and athletic but they seemed out of rhythm for stretches of the game and they can be pressured. Both teams will be better in the long run by playing this game.