By: John Leuzzi
CHESTER, PA--Following their second loss of the season, St. Joe’s Prep Basketball responded back with a 79-61 win over Bishop Shanahan Saturday afternoon in the Pete and Jameer Nelson Play-by-Play Scholastics Classic at Widener University.
“It was good getting back on the floor after over a week off just to get our guys back to playing with each other,” associate coach Randy Monroe said. “We were able to lick our wounds a little and respond back well today against Bishop Shanahan especially after how last year’s game went against them.”
“(We) started out a little slow, our defense was a little shaky. Think our offense just outplayed their offense just outscoring them,” senior guard Trevor Wall said.
Last year the Eagles used a late fourth-quarter push and a buzzer-beater to out top the Hawks 41-39. Senior guard Phil Chenard led Shanahan with 12 points.
For Monroe, he believes the outcome of last year’s game motivated not only the team but himself as well.
“(I) think it did for sure because it certainly motivated me,” Monroe said. “(We) showed what we are capable of.”
The Hawks struggled to knock down shots in the first quarter. Despite finishing the quarter on a 7-2 run, Bishop Shanahan found themselves down 12-11 at the end of the first quarter. The Prep shot just 28 percent from the field and 17 percent from beyond the arc in the quarter.
Early success in the third quarter was no surprise by head coach Speedy Morris and his team.
“(We) usually start really fast in the first four minutes, that is something coach always preaches in the third quarter. We have done that pretty well all season,” Wall said.
SJP senior Brian Geatens hits a three to give the Hawks a 38-30 lead at the half - Video by John Leuzzi
In the second quarter, the Prep relied on one of their star players, senior guard Chris Arizin who scored 11 points in the quarter. The Prep outscored Bishop Shanahan 26-19 in the quarter building a 38-30 lead heading into halftime.
“Everyone looks to find me in the post,” Arizin said. “So, when that happens everything opens up and leads to success.”
The Prep shot 19 percent from the field and 21 percent from beyond the arc in the first half.
The third quarter saw a much different St. Joe’s Prep team as the Hawks opened the quarter on a 6-2 run forcing Bishop Shanahan head coach John Dougherty to call a timeout in the first three minutes. Bishop Shanahan shot 20 percent from in the paint in the third thanks to stellar defense from SJP.
Heading into the fourth quarter, there were no signs of stopping the Prep offense by the Shanahan defense. The Hawks would go on to shoot 54 percent from the field in the final quarter, their best quarter field-goal shooting of the game cruising to a 79-61 victory.
A key to SJP’s victory was their defense, especially in the second half. The Hawks finished with 13 steals and 10+ defensive rebounds and limited the Eagles to shoot 42 percent from the field in the second half, worse than their first half.
“At halftime, in the locker room, we really stressed on cleaning up our defense because shots were falling on offense,” said Wall.
Wall led the Hawks with 24 points. For Wall, it was more than scoring double digits it was more about bouncing back after two straight performances where he didn’t look his best.
For Monroe, he saw a big performance from his senior captain.
“(I) always tell him scoring points is always important but I stress the importance of impacting the game in other ways and if you can do that, it lightens the scoring a little bit and that is what he did today,” Monroe said.
Arizin was awarded the Game MVP Award for the Hawks following the game.
Prior to the game, SJP head coach Speedy Morris was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by Play-by-Play Scholastic Classic founder Jeremy Treatman. Morris, who announced that he will be retiring from coaching at the end of this season, holds the most wins in the 21 years of the Play-by-Play Scholastic Classics tournaments.
Prior to tip-off here at Widener, @SJP_BB head coach Speedy Morris received a lifetime achievement award. Morris is retiring at the end of the season. Speedy holds the most wins in @PBPCLASSICS’s 21 year history. @PhSportsDigest @SJPREP pic.twitter.com/IMNNgWthkE
— John Leuzzi (@JohnLeuzziMU) December 28, 2019
Next up for St. Joe’s Prep (7-2, 0-1 PCL) will be Penncrest High School on Mon. Dec. 30th. Tip-off is scheduled for 11:45 a.m. back at Widener.
It will be another challenging opponent for the Hawks early on in their season and for Monroe, Arizin, and Wall they know the Hawks will have to concentrate on their defense if they want to come out victorious.
“(We) have to stop penetration, keep them off the glass and them going into the transition offense which they do really well with,” Monroe said. “If we can do those things, we will be capable of winning.”