By PAUL GOTHAM
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Early in the second quarter of Sunday’s inter-sectional matchup, Myles Blackwood established position near the right block. Christian Brothers Academy (CBA) forward Amarri Pitts went to his right off the dribble looking to get to the basket. Blackwood stood his ground for an offensive foul.
On the near sideline, Jeff LaFave pumped his fist in response to Blackwood’s play before exhorting:
“That’s three,” the Aquinas head coach said of the number of charges taken by his team up to that point. “We need two more!”
The Li’l Irish didn’t draw those two additional offensive fouls. But on this day when neither team gave little to its opponent, the defensive tone set early in the game carried throughout.
Blackwood and Robert McCullough combined to score 31 points as Aquinas defeated CBA (Syracuse), 61-57.
“CBA is a tough team,” LaFave said. “They’ve been ranked all year in the state. We really wanted to get a measuring stick of where we’re at right now.”
Jeff LaFave on this charge taken by Myles Blackwood: “That’s 3. Let’s take 2 more.” @AQ_Basketball pic.twitter.com/aeC7ZsErPa
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 30, 2022
McCullough scored back-to-back baskets in the third quarter to cap a 13-3 run that gave Aquinas a lead it did not surrender. He took a feed in the paint from Mykel White and finished in traffic for a 42-41 lead. Next trip down the floor, Blackwood found him for an and-one and a 45-41 Aquinas advantage.
Robert McCullough finishes in traffic to give @AQ_Basketball its first lead of the 3rd at 42-41. pic.twitter.com/jaZvvymOo3
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 30, 2022
The senior guard repeated that performance in the fourth quarter with two more buckets in the lane – the second of which he posted up CBA’s Steve DeRegis in the lane and finished at the rim.
The interior production was needed on this day when AQ’s long-range attack betrayed them. The Li’l Irish connected four times from behind the 3-point in the first quarter but just four more for the remainder of the game. The team that had hit 14 triples in a recent win over Central Catholic and 11 in a victory over Bishop Ludden (III) did not find the measure for the entire third quarter and hit just one through the first 11 minutes of the second half.
“Our game plan going in was in two phases,” LaFave explained. “Phase one was to get Robert and Myles going downhill because we thought there were some things we could expose with them with those two guys.
“Phase two was we wanted them to compact in the lane so that we could start kicking it out to the shooters. Well guess what, that didn’t happen. We had to ad hoc things. Basically, had to take what they were giving us.”
The Aquinas defense dictated the opening quarter forcing five turnovers in a 10-possessions sequence that saw the Li’l Irish jump out to a 19-7 lead.
CBA chipped away at the deficit getting a pair of backdoor cuts along the baseline for buckets before Braeden Burns connected on three straight 3-pointers. Tyler Broschart converted on an inbound play to cap a 23-6 CBA advantage in the second quarter.
Aquinas trailed 35-30 heading into halftime.
“We got a little ahead of ourselves in the first quarter,” LaFave explained. “We got out to a great start. As my guys were going out to start the second quarter, I said ‘This is a really good basketball team. Do not let up…’ We let up.”
Burns scored 20 of his team-high 26 in the first half. Foul trouble slowed the junior guard in the second half and LaFave’s defense was able to adjust.
“We were getting in the gap and jumping the pass. Now when we had to switch, we were already there. It made it a lot harder for them to get the looks they were getting in the second quarter.”
Jack Bleier scored eight of his 12 points in the first quarter. The senior guard forced a turnover with a back tip and took the first two charges of the game for AQ.
“Right now, we’re trying to sharpen our skills,” LaFave said. “Taking charges, that’s a skill. There are not a lot of kids that are really good at it these days in high school basketball. That’s one of the things we’ve been trying to work on in practice is being disciplined on defense. Being in the right spot, having a foot in the paint. Help and recover. Be in the gap.”
Jack Bleier has 6 points, 2 charges taken, 1 back tip for a turnover caused and @AQ_Basketball has 19-7 lead with 1:12 to go in the first. pic.twitter.com/S2zpix0qNX
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 30, 2022
The win was the eighth straight for Aquinas (12-2).
“I’m impressed with our effort. Our kids, what a fun group to coach. They love playing with each other. They make it a pleasure.”
McCullough finished with 16 points. Blackwood had 15.
Robert McCullough buries a corner 3. @AQ_Basketball 5-0 pic.twitter.com/64gFpCjHPb
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 30, 2022
Mason Blackwood scored nine including a pick-and-pop 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter.
White added six points. Will Scanlon hit a 3-pointer to give AQ a 53-46 lead with 4:22 to go in the game.
Aquinas hosts St. Joe’s (Monsignor Martin) for a 7 PM tip off on Wednesday.
Pitts scored 14 points for CBA (11-3).
CBA played without starting point guard Dan Anderson.
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