Baldwin's main threat is Syosset

Only one of Nassau County’s 58 boys’ basketball teams remained undefeated heading into February and it could be on a collision course to meet defending champion Baldwin in the Class AA title game.

The Bruins stood at 13-1 overall and atop Conference AA-2 heading into this week’s action, while upstart Syosset was perfect through 14 games and running away with AA-1. Both teams have 10 wins by at least 18 points, but you won’t find a player on either roster among Nassau’s leading scorers.

Syosset’s Matt Lindenman ranks 15th in the county, averaging 17.4 points per game, and Andrew Zhou is 17th at 17.1 ppg. Meanwhile the Bruins, led by senior point guard Jamir Stewart’s 13.2 ppg, have seven players chipping in almost 6.0 ppg or more.

“Defense and balanced scoring are what we’re all about this season,” said Baldwin head coach Darius Burton, who on Jan. 16 celebrated milestone win No. 350 when the Bruins took down Half Hollow Hills East 70-55 in the Nassau-Suffolk Challenge. “Most of our starters haven’t played much in the second half of games,” he added. “But every night it can be somebody different us leading us in scoring.”

While Burton also considers Plainview, Hempstead and Port Washington contenders, he said it would take an upset for Baldwin and Syosset not to meet March 5 at Hofstra University to decide the county championship. There were no playoffs last winter and the Bruins played only four games.

“We came into this season with a lot of figuring out to do,” Burton explained. “We have 12 seniors, but none of them had starting experience. They’ve worked extremely hard.”

Baldwin and Syosset have shared three common opponents so far — Plainview, Valley Stream Central and East Meadow. Baldwin defeated Plainview 50-42 on Jan. 22 after leading by 18 through three quarters and had last Saturday’s rematch postponed until next Monday due to the blizzard. Syosset defeated Plainview by 15 back on Dec. 6.

“I plan to see Syosset in person on Feb. 12,” Burton said. “They’re a very good team.”

Baldwin’s biggest test so far came against Bishop Laughlin as part of the Gary Charles Tip of the Hat Classic hosted by Massapequa on Jan. 9. Senior Jacob Oka (21 points, 13 rebounds), junior Josh Petion (16 points), senior Jamir Stewart (13) and senior Gerrard Beaubrun (10) all scored in double figures to lead the Bruins to a hard-fought 71-68 victory. The teams combined for 57 points in a wild fourth quarter. Petion, who played JV last season, earned Tournament MVP honors.

“The one thing I want us to improve is valuing the ball more,” Burton said. “We’re still turning it over a little too much for my liking.”

After Stewart, Beaubrun is averaging 11 points, Oka 10.6, Petion 9, junior Jaylen Brown 7.5, senior Cadeem Ramsey 6.5, and senior Michael Hall 5.8. Ramsey, in his first season of organized basketball, emerged as the starting center in late December is the team’s leading rebounder.