|
BOYS BASKETBALL |
|
| Jackson-Reed | 61 |
| Bullis | 58 |
During the game, Gilmore decided to deceive his opponent by pretending to move towards his right, only to quickly change course. This move caught his defender off-guard and created an opening towards the hoop. In a game where defense had been dominant, this was a rare and refreshing opportunity. Gilmore took advantage of the opportunity and attacked the rim. He finished with a layup and was also fouled in the process. With his successful three-point play, Gilmore’s team, the No. 6 Tigers, won 61-58 in a thrilling match.
“As soon as he bit on the crossover, I knew it would be wide open, and I knew I was going to the hoop,” Gilmore said.
The basketball game was the second part of a triple-header that was played at St. John’s as a part of the second annual Behan Strong Invitational. This event is named after Patrick Behan, the former coach of St. John’s who is currently battling ALS. Behan received an ovation just before the game started as he entered the gym in a wheelchair. He led the Cadets to the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championship last winter and was named All-Met Coach of the Year. All the proceeds from the night went towards his care.
Last season, Jackson-Reed (14-2) and Bullis (9-2) played against each other in this event. The Bulldogs won the game with a score of 58-56 which was determined in the final seconds. Before the game on Wednesday, Tigers Coach Tee Johnson advised his players to anticipate another close match.
“We knew it was going to be a battle,” Johnson said. “Same venue, same date. And it turned out to be a pretty similar game this year. I think the difference was more guys were able to step up for us.”
In the fourth quarter, Jackson-Reed’s main goal was to get a crucial defensive stop. Despite numerous attempts to cut Bullis’s lead to just one possession, they were unable to produce the necessary defense to tie the game or take the lead. Bullis, on the other hand, managed to extend their lead to four or five points time and again, and with the clock ticking away, Jackson-Reed’s hopes of winning began to fade.
In the final moments of the game, Bullis was unable to score any more points and ran out of time. Lucas Sekasi, the senior guard, scored 17 points and gave Jackson-Reed the lead with less than 90 seconds remaining. The first half ended with Jackson-Reed leading 49-48. The game went into overtime with the score tied at 51.
“Our identity is always going to be defense, no matter what kind of group we have,” Sekasi said. “We’re talented on offense this year, but our identity is always going to come from getting stops.”
