QUEENSBURY – Armed with a revamped lineup and plenty of confidence following a season-opening Nov. 29 win over Waverly, the Baldwinsville girls basketball team would travel east to play in the Michelle Bennett Memorial Tournament at Queensbury and sweep both of its Section II foes by big margins. In the opening game Friday against host Queensbury, the Bees were strong in nearly every phase of the game, but especially on the defensive side while routing the Spartans 62-19. It wasn’t just the fact that B’ville put together 37 first-half points. It was the way the defense often set up those points through pressing and forcing turnovers, limiting Queensbury to 10 total points before half time and less in the ensuing two quarters. Most of the offense came from two sources. Olivia Davis poured in 19 points, while Sicily Shaffer earned 15 points. Natalie Hollingshead got nine points as 10 different players got on the score sheet by game’s end. A day later it was B’ville against Glens Falls, and while it proved a bit tougher it was still the Bees in total control most of the way while defeating the Black Bears 69-41. B’ville stormed out of the gate 15-0 in the opening minutes led by Davis, who had eight first-quarter points. Gradually Glens Falls worked its way back in it and only trailed 26-21 late in the second period. But a 12-0 Bees burst before halftime stretched out the margin again. Hollingshead and Mya Tobin both hit 3-pointers, and Beverly Marinelli contributed a basket and free throw during this stretch. Again in the third quarter the Black Bears pushed back, cutting it to 40-30, but again the Bees’ relentless pressure wore an opponent down as it outscored Glens Falls 29-11 the rest of the way. Davis finished with 16 points, part of a well-balanced attack where Hollingshead finished with 13 points and Shaffer, with 12 points, also got to double figures. League play starts for B’ville next Thursday night at Fayetteville-Manlius, after which it hosts West Genesee Dec. 15 at Durgee Junior High School before leaving for its appearance at a tournament in Orlando, Florida from Dec. 18 to 22. ...read more read less