It's a whole new ballgame for the Batavia Blue Devils now that the team's full squad is showing up ready to play on game night, and Friday Attica got a taste of what a healthy Batavia can put on the court.
After jumping out to a 10-1 lead to start the championship of the larger schools' bracket of Lions Club Tournament in the Anthony Zambito Gym at Genesee Community College, Batavia pretty much controlled the game the rest of the way for a 70-50 win.
Mason McFollins is back in the lineup and the difference is noticeable.
"He's offensively talented and so that helps us out because we were struggling to score while he was out," Coach Buddy Brasky said. "Now, by him scoring it opens up other things for us and it makes it easier for some of the other guys to score. He's a big piece of it because he's our number one option offense."
McFollins, the tournament MVP, scored 19 points against Attica. He hit three shots from beyond the arc.
Joe Martinucci continued his strong play in the painting, scoring 12 points.
Twin brothers Caeden White and Camden White also missed the start of the season but are back on the court causing problems for opposing defenses; Caeden always a danger to hit from the outside and Camden adding strength under the boards.
Caeden White scored eight points and was named to the All-Tournament team and Camden White scored six points.
They're very committed to basketball," Brasky said. "They come to everything we offer in the off-season. They are great kids, very coachable. And Caeden can really shoot it. Camden is a force inside. You wouldn't know they were twins just by looking at them. But it's kind of nice inside outside punch for us."
Camden White and Martinucci give the Blue Devils and nice inside rotation, Brasky said.
For the most part, Batavia was able to shut down Attica's big man, Dawson Nelson, except in the third quarter, when he scored 15 of his 19 points.
"We were trying to front them and trying beat them to across the lane not let them cut in front of us," Brasky said. "They like that high-low look where they flash the one forward up high and then he tries to dump it in low. We were trying to apply some more pressure to the passer to make the pass harder. I thought we did a decent job early, but in that third quarter we couldn't stop Dawson. He kind of took the game over in the third quarter."
McFollins, the Whites, Andrew Francis and Martinucci aren't all Batavia has going for them this season, Brasky said.
"Jake Humes is shooting the ball well for us," Brasky said. "Luke Grammatico is doing a lot of nice things for us. He hit a big three in the corner there when they're making a little bit of a run. So you know, they do some things on the court that don't maybe necessarily show up on the scoreboard but did their part.
"We've got like eight-man rotation going right now and they're part of their rotation and it's important that they can get (Andrew) Francis and Caeden and McFollins some rest."
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