Having sped to a 3-0 start, the Baldwinsville boys basketball team wanted more success out of its annual trip to East Syracuse-Minoa’s Vince Celi Memorial Tournament – but could not even win a game as it absorbed a pair of frustrating defeats. It all started with Monday’s opening round, against Auburn. Leading the entire first half, the Bees could not keep the Maroons’ Mike Granato from taking over as his side beat B’ville by a score of 70-66. With a well-balanced attack, B’ville started out on a 12-3 spurt in the game’s first four minutes. For the rest of the half, the Bees’ defenders took turns containing Granato (who had just four points) and led by as much as 10 before going to the break with a 32-25 edge. It was 34-25 when, in the third quarter, Granato went into high gear. He had 10 of the points as the Maroons used a 17-3 run to move in front. All told, Granato had 17 points in that period and would finish with 32 points overall. Refusing to go away, B’ville, down 62-52 late in the fourth quarter, used six straight points to move within 62-58. But three starters – Kevin Roy, Nick Riley and Brett Charbonneau – fouled out in the closing minutes, thwarting the rally. Ricky Kompf led B’ville’s late push and set a career mark with 20 points. Roy had 12 points, with Chris Whalen adding 10 points. Charbonneau and Willie Hython each got nine points. So in the consolation game, the Bees met the hosts from ESM, who had seen its own second-half lead disappear against Mexico in a 61-56 defeat. Here, the Bees would lead late – but could not hold on in a 70-68 defeat decided at the buzzer. Twice, B’ville fell behind double digits, in the first and third quarters. Both times, it came back as Roy (whose 18 points made him an All-Tournament selection) and Hython, who finished with 19 points, led the way. A tense fourth quarter saw the lead switch hands seven times and both sides struggle at the free-throw line. With 29.5 seconds left, Charbonneau’s free throw made it 68-66, but ESM drove down and, with 18.6 seconds left, pulled even 68-68 on Josh Stuper’s runner. With a chance to run down the clock and get the last shot, B’ville instead turned it over with 7.9 seconds left – time enough for ESM’s Joe Greco to miss a possible winning jumper, but see the rebound bounce to the left, where Ryan Dadey let fly at the buzzer – and made it. So B’ville takes a 3-2 record into 2011 – and the start of CNY Counties League play as it visited fast-starting West Genesee next Tuesday and hosts Utica Proctor on Jan. 7.