Baldwin boys celebrate signature win, milestone for Nate Wesling

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, January 26, 2025 | 11:01 AM

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It could be considered the basketball game of the year at Baldwin.

Trib HSSN Class 5A No. 4 Baldwin met Class 3A No. 1 South Allegheny in a nonsection clash Jan. 16 on the Highlanders’ home court.

Two WPIAL hoops heavyweights.

Baldwin, previously ranked No. 1 in 5A, prevailed with a 59-52 victory after rallying from a double-digit deficit at the half, improving to 13-1 overall. The Gladiators had their 10-game winning streak snapped and fell to 13-2.

Senior guards Nate Wesling and Caden Cherico led Baldwin with 16 and 15 points, respectively.

“We had so many guys that played well,” Baldwin coach Jeff Ackermann said. “Gabe Barakat gave us great minutes off the bench and E.J. Golvash defended really well. Caden Cherico also played a great second half.

“We had a great crowd for that game. The Baldwin-Whitehall community continues to support us in massive numbers. We are blessed to have the support we have.”

Wesling recently reached 1,000 points for his career, joining his brother James who also eclipsed the century mark at Baldwin and currently is a sophomore guard and industrial engineering major at Penn State Behrend.

“It is a cool milestone in my career and I’m hoping to leave my number high on the 1,000-point banner,” Wesling said. “I hit 1,000 in a good win over a tough Knoch team.”

The all-time leader in scoring for boys basketball for the Highlanders is Ed Scheuermann, who accumulated 1,384 points from 1973-76.

Others in the 1,000-point club are Todd Sherwin (1980-82), with 1,237 points; Gavin Prosser (2000-03), 1,220; Bernie O’Keefe (1967-70), 1,101; Mike Wilcox (1980-82), 1,098; James Wesling (2020-23), 1,036; Rege O’Keefe (1974-77), 1,024; and Mark Susan (1989-92), 1,006.

Belma Nurkic (2008-11) ranks as the girls all-time scoring leader and at the school with 1,797 points.

Other career leaders consist of Lauren Gilbert (2013-16), 1,297; Erin Collavo (1992-95), 1,150; and Samantha Walsh (2007-10), 1,100.

Against South Allegheny, the Highlanders trailed 34-21 at the half before outscoring the visitors by 20 points in the second half.

“My team really played great defense,” Ackermann said. “To hold that team to only 18 second-half points is an amazing effort.”

Baldwin narrowed the gap to 46-41 with a 20-12 scoring spree in the third quarter then outscored SA by an 18-6 margin in the fourth. Baraket clicked for seven points in the fourth frame.

“We kept our cool,” said Wesling, who averages 19 ppg. “We knew we were going to make the shots we were missing in the first half, and we did. It gave us a spark.

“We haven’t achieved our goals yet, but we are getting closer to them each game.”

Baldwin ended the first half of the season 5-1 in section play. And Wesling was tied for fifth with Wilcox on the career scoring list with 1,098 points.

“Nate has been an amazing player for us over the past four years,” Ackermann said. “He is a tremendous shooter.”

The Highlanders did not lose a game in December, racking up nine consecutive victories which included 2-0 records in a pair of two-day tournaments.

“All of our goals are still within reach as we approach the back half of section play,” Ackermann said.

Tags: Baldwin