A season that was nearly derailed before it started for the Baldwin boys’ basketball team is humming right along on schedule.
“I think we’re starting to hit our stride,” legendary head coach Darius Burton said. “I’m gonna be honest with you, we’re playing great defense, getting a guy or two back healthy.”
It’s a much more positive prognosis than one Burton had early, when big men Dylan Cudjoe and Gabriel Phillips suffered preseason ACL injuries, followed by a season-ending MCL injury to fellow senior Rian Gittens, the sixth man, who was inserted into the starting lineup in the two weeks Mical Saint Jean was sidelined due to an ankle injury.
“Majorly concerned, but I'll tell you what, this group has been battle-tested,” Burton said. “They’re a great group of kids, and I’ve just been blessed by the program. It starts with the PAL program. My middle school team went undefeated. My JV team is 13-0. The pipeline is just there.”
Despite those major injuries, Baldwin is 11-2 overall and 6-2 in League 2 - AAA, on track to compete for a sixth straight county championship and one win away from clinching a playoff berth for the 26th straight year.
Leading the way is Ethan Sainsbury, a four-year varsity player and two-year starter and co-captain who runs the show as the point guard and assists and steals leader. In a 73-24 win over Academy Charter on Jan. 21, Sainsbury had 13 points, seven assists, five rebounds, and five steals.
Saint Jean is a two-year varsity starter and co-captain who leads the team in scoring.
“Those two, as captains, have really stepped their game up,” said Burton, who has 448 career victories.
Sophomore center Matthew Pierre Louis and 6-foot-7 Devon Mitchell have helped fill the void in the frontcourt, while senior Jordan Williams, who had 12 points, five assists, and three rebounds in an 89-52 win over Long Island Lutheran Regional on January 17, has made great strides. Sophomore CJ Okogeri has made big contributions off the bench, especially on the defensive end.
Burton said he’s looking forward to rematches against Port Washington and Westbury, who handed his team their lone losses this year. Against Port, the Bruins led throughout the game, but were done in by an uncharacteristic fourth quarter when they were outscored 15-2 in a 43-36 defeat.
And Saint Jean, who had a team-high 17 points, five rebounds, and three assists in a 78-28 win over Academy Charter on Friday, was sidelined in a 53-50 loss at Westbury.
“We’re going to have those two teams a second time around and, knock on wood, with everybody that can play,” Burton said.
Despite the injuries, the one constant for Baldwin has been on the defensive side, where the Bruins have given up just 44.1 points per game, a number that has decreased to 40.6 points per game during a current six-game winning streak.
“I’m very excited going to the second half of the season to see what we can do and make a run in the playoffs,” Burton said.
