Boys basketball
Slow start plagues North in recent loss
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Williamsville North's boys basketball team slept-walked through the first half of its ECIC Division I game at Frontier last Friday and wound up losing, 80-75.

"We came out very flat," North coach Chuck Swierski said. "Usually we start fast but we were down 20-10 after the first quarter and 37-24 at halftime. As the game went on, we got stronger but ran out of time in the end."

North trailed, 51-44, after the third quarter.

While Frontier shot 25 for 43 from the floor (58 percent), they shot 28-of-42 free throws. North only made 8-of-13 free throw attempts. North averages 26 trips to the line a game.

"Considering how much we attack the basket, that's a pretty big discrepancy that we couldn't overcome," said Swierski. "We were aggressive and fouled a lot but I thought we got fouled a couple times that we didn't get called."

"It was not a conscious effort by the referees but I brought it to their attention a couple of times and it didn't seem to faze them," he added.

Despite the foul disparity, Swierski was proud his team didn't give up.

"They fought to the end," he said. "We got their lead down to six points with 30 seconds left."

Alex Barth paced North with 17 points and seven rebounds. Ryan Young scored all 16 of his points in the second half and hauled in nine rebounds. Alex Calderon scored all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter. Brian Davis and John Piaggione added nine points each.

North (7-8, 3-6) hosted Clarence on Tuesday but results were unavailable before The Bee went to press, and travel to West Seneca West at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.

Swierski said his team must put together a solid four quarters.

"Sometimes its the first quarter, sometimes its the fourth, but once we learn how to play four quarters of basketball, I think we're a pretty good team," he said.

Williamsville East

The Flames (8-6, 5-3) won their second game in a row after defeating Hamburg, 60-54, at home last Friday.

East extended a 25-22 halftime advantage to 42-35 after the third quarter.

Brian Wallden and Andy Heim scored 16 of East's 18 fourth quarter points. Wallden hit 10 in the quarter, including 4-of-4 free throws in the last 1:30 to seal the win. He finished with 17 points, 15 rebounds and six blocks.

Heim led East with 20 points, six assists and eight rebounds.

When Wallden and Heim rested, East coach Dennis Belote liked the play from Mark Guenther (four points), Chris Schiumo (three points), Peter Heim and Aaron Tichenor.

Adam Kausch came off the bench and played well, scoring 11 points and hitting three three-pointers, two treys coming in the second quarter.

Rick Silvestri added five points, eight rebounds and four steals.

East also played smart, committing only 10 turnovers.

The Flames returned to action on Tuesday at Iroquois but results were unavailable before The Bee went to press. East's scheduled home game with Lake Shore on Friday has been moved to 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 6.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com