BY LAURA ALBANESE
8:00 - Starting Lineups: 2 Rashon Tabb, T.J. Critternden, Kelvin Agee, Michael Crumpton, and Eric Spanbaur start for Niagara. Nick Thomas, Cailup Norris, Chris Mauldin, Matt Brown, Chris Manning take the court for the Bruins.
5:02 – It’s not looking good early for Baldwin, who already trail by 11, 15-4. Kelvin Agee already has seven points in the game, including a three-point baseline jumper.
3:05 – Niagara is having a little trouble converting and has missed four straight shots. Bruins, meanwhile, have gotten into a groove – Derrell Brown and Chris Mauldin scored on two consecutive layins to make it 15-8.
2:40 – Baldwin is on the comeback trail – Anthony Lee just scored on a layup to make it 15-10 and Niagara has been held scoreless for more than 2:30 minutes.
41.5 – Niagara scored the next six off a three from Bobby Daniels and a putback from Kelvin Agee. Agee sunk one of two foul shots to make it 21-10.
End of the first: 23-12, Niagara.
3:31 – Baldwin kicked off the quarter outscoring Niagara 7-3, capped off by Chris Manning’s three and Justin James’ driving layup. They’re defense is also improving: Cailup Norris and Chris Mauldin were able to strip Rashon Tabb in the paint to shift possession and grab the foul upcourt.
3:23 – Matt Brown hit the front end of a one-and-one to make it 26-20, still in favor of Niagara.
3:00 – Agee’s jumper from the right wing cushions Niagara’s lead, 29-20.
2:30 – Ashanti DePass is quicker than most everyone on Niagara, with the exception of T.J. Crittenden. Earlier in the quarter, he ran circles around three Niagara defenders before forcing the foul (he hit one of two) and his wide-open three cuts it to six, 29-23.
1:01 – Crittenden’s driving layup expands the Niagara lead to 10, 33-23. At this point, he’s just using his blazing speed to flat outrun everyone on the court for easy shots off defensive rebounds.
39.9 – Chris Manning sinks two foul shots.
End of half: 33-25, Niagara.
7:11 – Baldwin scores first again. Cailup Norris’ falling bank-shot is good for two, to bring it to 33-27.
6:50 – T.J. Crittenden just hit a wide-open three from the left. You think they’d know not to leave him alone with the ball. It’s 36-27.
4:36 – Chris Manning steps up with a three-point play for Baldwin to make it 42-34. It curtails Niagara who, to that point, had scored six straight.
2:29 – Manning is scoring, sure, but he hasn’t been the made the difference that you’d expect from the Baldwin star. He just sailed an airball over the net for what would have been a three.
BUZZER – More bad times for Manning. He just forgot about the shot clock and let time expire as he made his way down the lane.
End of third: 49-35, Niagara.
5:16 – T.J. Crittenden, again with the breakaway. He hits the shot to make it 54-39.
1:45 – Niagara just put it out of reach for Baldwin. After staying in it for most of the game, the Wolverines went on a 12-7 run that spanned about four minutes. The scoring was capped off by four foul shots by Rashon Tabb and Eric Spanbauer. It’s 64-44.
55.5 – Crittenden sinks a layup and Baldwin coach Darius Burton gives his bench a chance to play with the game now decidedly out of reach, 66-44.
About .40 – Joe Ednie hits a bank shot while guarded heavily in the paint and earns the +1. He hits the shot for the three-point play. It’s 66-47.
BUZZER – You gotta say one thing for Baldwin, they don’t back down. Ednie’s steal sets up the drive for Bernard Desilus, who closes out the game with a final Bruins basket to make it 66-49.
Final: Niagara Falls 66, Baldwin 49.