By PAUL GOTHAM
Anthony Iglesia scored 21 including eight during a decisive run, and the McQuaid Jesuit Knights defeated the Wilson Magnet Wildcats, 56-44 in RCAC action Tuesday.
Iglesia sparked a 19-0 onslaught which started at the end of the second quarter and extended into the third.
“He’s worked his butt off,” McQuaid head coach Jack Leasure said. “He’s a really tough player to guard. He’s doing a lot in the other areas too.”
With the score tied at 22, Iglesia drilled a catch-and-shoot three-pointer from the right side. The junior followed with a reverse layup on a wing drive. His triple from the top early in the third quarter gave McQuaid a 17-point advantage at 39-22.
“He’s starting to show all that he did in the off-season,” Leasure said of his point guard. “He put on 20 pounds. He’s proving what he’s done outside of the season.”
Kobe Long ended the first half with a steal and layup. Josh Purcell started the scoring in the third quarter. Connor Zamiara followed with back-to-back baskets on a drive and 3-pointer from the top. Divine Williams used a spin move in the lane to create space before finishing with a layup. McQuaid led 41-22 and outscored the Wildcats 18-7 in the stanza.
“We feel like we can hold teams under 10 in a quarter if we’re really sound. We talked about being really sound on D and being disciplined and rebounding well. We came out in the third quarter and we did that.”
Keavaughn Harris-Hill gave Wilson an early 10-6 lead with a pull-up trey from the wing.
McQuaid responded. Williams converted a pair of free throws. Iglesia got in the lane off the dribble and finished at the rim to tie the score at 10. The 5-foot-6 point guard hit a three from the top of the key to give McQuaid a 13-10 edge going into the second quarter. The Jesuit Knights did not trail again in the game.
Minus starters Isaiah Stewart and Thomas Jones because of injuries, the Knights found themselves in early foul trouble when both Zamiara and Cam Wilson went to the bench with two fouls apiece less than four minutes into the contest. Wilson picked up his fourth foul after less than a minute of play in the third quarter.
“We’ve been focused on doing the little things well,” Leasure said in response to the injuries. “Screening well, moving it fast, sharing the ball. Just grinding the defensive rebounds. They’ve been doing that and they’ve been embracing the little things and playing well together.”
Williams chipped in with 10 points for the Knights. Zamiara and Tyler Cyrus added seven apiece.
Malikk Johnson led Wilson with 11. Patrick Phillips had 10.
McQuaid (3-0) hosts Franklin, Friday night. A 7 pm tip time is scheduled.
Wilson (0-4) travels to play World of Inquiry on Friday. A 5:45 start time is slated.
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