East boys throw away tournament win
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Williamsville East’s Brian Wallden shoots over Riverside’s Sheldon Williams during first round action of the Clarence Booster Club Tournament on Thursday. Wallden, an all-tournament team selection, had 18 points, 20 rebounds and six blocks. The next night in a win against Niagara-Wheatfield, he scored 20 points, tied a school record in rebounds with 35, and added six blocks. Photo by Joe Eberle

Up 66-62 over Riverside with 40 seconds to play, all Williamsville East had had to do was make some free throws and hold onto the basketball to advance to the Clarence Booster Club Tournament finals.

Instead, the opposite happened.

Brian Wallden and Andy Heim missed two free throws a piece and the Flames threw away the ball which led to two Nick Hesson free throws with 3.1 seconds remaining to clinch a 67-66 Riverside first round win on Thursday.

East shot 4-of-10 from the foul line in the fourth. They were 7-of-11 heading into the fourth.

After Wallden missed two free throws, Riverside’s Dejvan Hardy hit a three-pointer to cut the Flames’ lead to 66-65. After Heim missed two free throws, a scramble on Riverside’s next possession led to an East player throwing the ball to Hesson who hit the game-winning free throws. The Flames inbounded and got a shot off but it hit the front of the rim.

East got off to a terrible start, down 17-11 after the first quarter, but took a one-point lead at halftime, 28-27, and trailed, 47-46, at the end of the third quarter.

“We didn’t come through during crunch times and made terrible decisions on the court,” said East coach Dennis Belote.

Wallden led East with 20 points, tied Dan Milbrand’s rebounding record from Feb. 3, 2004 against Williamsville North with 35, and added six blocks.

Nick Kanutsu scored a career-high 15 points, 12 coming in the fourth. He also had four assists and two steals.

“Our four-point lead was built up from his last two efforts, a three and a layup,” said Belote.

Rick Silvestri (12 points) and Heim (10 points) also scored in double figures for East.

East started out slow also against Niagara-Wheatfield, who they beat in the consolation game of the Sweet Home Tip-off Tournament, trailing, 13-10, after the first quarter. But the Flames bounced back, taking a 26-24 halftime advantage and 43-36 third quarter lead in a 63-44 win. East had no problems from the line in this one, shooting 15-of-20.

Wallden, an all-tournament selection, had 18 points, 20 rebounds and six blocks. Heim added 13 points, five assists and three steals. Adam Kausch scored nine in the fourth and finished with 12. He hit two three’s.

“We got out of this tournament that we have got to close the deal,” said Belote. “We depend upon our seniors and hopefully they will get back to where they were (before the tournament).”

East (6-3) travels to Williamsville South at 7 p.m. Friday for a key ECIC Division II match-up. Both are 3-1 in league play.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com