OBSERVER Photo by Mary Ann Wiberg Silver Creek’s Tom Galfo (3) dribbles while Forestville’s Gavin Christian guards him during a non-league high school basketball game Tuesday night in Silver Creek.

SILVER CREEK — The Black Knights high school boys basketball team ran away with a 57-41 victory over the Forestville Hornets Tuesday on the strength of a dominant second half.

Forestville led 11-8 after the first period of play, and led by as many as nine in the second quarter, before Silver Creek came back to tie the score at 23-23 heading into halftime.

“We can compete with good teams,” said Forestville coach Ralph Jackson.

Jarmani Benton had nine first-half points for Silver Creek, while Forestville was led by Macadam Gadewoltz with 12 points. Silver Creek was fortunate to head into the break tied, as the Black Knights did not play up to par in the first half.

“We didn’t come out ready to play,” said Silver Creek coach Rob Genco. “Our guys know that we are capable of playing better.”

Silver Creek looked like an entirely different team in the second half. The Black Knights jumped out to a double-digit lead early in the third quarter on a 12-0 run. Sophomore guard Dominic Jamison got the scoring going in the second half with a deep three, and from then on, Silver Creek led the rest of the game.

“I told (my team) the first three minutes of the half, we’ve gotta work,” said Jackson. “That first three minutes, (Silver Creek) went on a 12-0 run.”

The Black Knights led by six points after the third, and by the halfway point in the fourth, the margin was up to double digits.

“They knew they needed to play better,” said Genco. “They knew they were capable of more.”

Silver Creek had a very balanced scoring line on the evening. Junior forward Braeden Woleben and Benton, the Gowanda transfer, each had 16 points, while Jamison had 15 points, all on three-point shots. Three of the five shots by Jamison came in the fourth quarter.

“(Jamison) got hot … and hit back to back threes in the fourth,” said Jackson. “You can’t have that.”

Gadewoltz finished with 18 points and 16 rebounds for Forestville. Lewis Markham added 12 points, ten rebounds and four steals, while Orlando Soto had nine rebounds.

“This was a good game to help get ready (for the rest of the season),” said Jackson.

Although Silver Creek won, Black Knights coach Genco was not entirely pleased with the performance.

“I don’t think any one of these guys are happy with their performance tonight,” he said, adding that the physicality of Forestville will prepare his team for when they face more physicality in league play later on in the season.

Silver Creek will take on Sherman on the road on Friday, while Forestville now heads into winter break.

Twitter: @bradencarmen