North loses ECIC I boys hoops showdown with Frontier
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Williamsville North boys basketball coach Chuck Swierski knew how big last Friday's road game at Frontier was.

A win over the then third-ranked Western New York large school, now fourth-ranked Falcons would not only have given North, ranked 10th at the time, now ninth, a chance to compete for the ECIC Division I title, but also some respect in the Western New York basketball community.

But Frontier's size and guard play was too much for the Spartans, as they fell 65-51. The only other game North had lost this season was a 72-58 home game to Frontier on Dec. 14. Frontier improved to 9-0 in ECIC I and needs to win one of its last three league games to garner the league title for the first time since 1999.

"It seemed like it was a lost opportunity," said Swierski. "It was there and we just didn't cash in on it."

"It's disappointing," he added. "I'm not sure if they're better than us. It was almost like we didn't come mentally ready to play."

Frontier scored the first four points of the game and took a 15-10 lead after the first quarter.

North briefly held a one-point lead in the second quarter before the Falcons stormed back to go ahead 27-23. Frontier closed out the first half with an 8-0 run capped off by a three-pointer at the first half buzzer by Jake Fladd (10 points, 10 rebounds).

"That run at the end of the first half really crippled us," said Swierski. "We gave up two open threes and a layup in the last 1:06."

Frontier big man Jason Norsen and guard Paul Hoffman combined for 15 points in the third quarter to help push the Falcons' lead to 35-23. Norsen finished with 16 points and nine blocks. Hoffman scored a game-high 18 and added 10 rebounds and five steals. Grant Wrap added 11 points.

"When they started going inside, we changed to a zone and Hoffman opened things up a little bit with some outside shooting," said Swierski.

Trailing 59-50 with three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Swierski said his team missed two wide open threes and his team then had to start fouling. Frontier made 9 of 12 free throws in the fourth and 11 of 16 overall.

Alex and Steve Barth each scored 14 points to lead North. Alex Barth picked up two early fouls in the first quarter and eventually fouled out with two minutes remaining. Twelve of his 14 points came in the second half.

Jim Gaines played hard in place of Alex Barth, scoring five points and leading the team with eight rebounds.

North shot 16 of 25 from the foul line and only 3 of 11 from three-point range.

North (13-3, 7-2) beat West Seneca West, 71-23, on Monday. Game highlights, as well as the Spartans' home game with Lancaster at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, will appear in next week's Bee.