By TIM IRVING
In the 2020 Class AA boys basketball semifinals, Rush-Henrietta and Victor each came in hot but an 18-0 third quarter run put the Blue Devils into the Finals.
This time, that run came much earlier.
The Royal Comets didn’t make a field goal until 2:20 left in the first quarter and Victor ran away with a 70-37 win to improve to 5-0 on the young season.
Phil Nwugwo scored eight points in the first quarter and the Blue Devils got three-pointers from Ryan Dodge and AJ Queri for a 22-14 lead.
The lead went from eight to 18 at halftime, 41-23, with eight players contributing points, led by Nwugwo, the only remaining starter from the finals team last season, leading the way with 11.
“Commitment on and off the court, he’s our leader on the court and I can’t say enough good things about Phil,” said coach Tyler Roberts.
Nwugwo and Nick Leonard dominated the boards for the Blue Devils, so even when Royal Comets captain Mason Giorgione ran off eight of his team-high 11 points in the third quarter, Rush-Henrietta (3-1) wasn’t getting second chance points and got virtually nothing in the paint.
“We all have a lot to work on, a lot to grow but Phil has grown quite a bit, “ Roberts said of Nwugwo, “defensively, he’s always been good but he’s gotten even better.”
Nwugwo finished with 17 points and fellow senior Jonah Whittier added 11 of his 13 in the second half. Leonard, one of three key sophomores on the team, added 10 points.
SCORING
Rush-Henrietta
Mason Giorgione 11, Nasir Hunter 10, Tobey Wright 9, Abdul Bori 3, Adareus Smith 2, Caleb Koehler 2.
Victor
Jonah Whittier 13, AJ Queri 9, Cam Ryan 6, Rohan Chitre 8, Brennan Hopkins 1, Ryan Dodge 6, Nick Leonard 10, Phil Nwugwo 17.
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