By PAUL GOTHAM
PENFIELD, N.Y. — Christian Zarzycki led five in double figures with 19 points, and the host Patriots defeated Rochester Prep 81-60 Friday at the Penfield Holiday Invitational.
Zarzycki scored eight in the third quarter when Penfield (5-1) pulled away for back-to-back wins.
“They were pressing us,” said Penfield head coach Jason Ellis. “By beating the press, we were able to score quicker.”
Zarzycki’s traditional 3-point play (basket plus a free throw) was part of a 14-7 run to close the frame.
“We held them to five points in the second (quarter), but we didn’t score with it,” Ellis said. “We knew we needed to not only hold them, but we needed to outscore them.”
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM DENNIS JOYCE.
Jackson Green finished at the rim. CJ Johnson hit a wing three-pointer , and Michael Moxley drove the lane for two more points and a 60-40 Penfield lead.
Rochester Prep had trimmed a 16-point Penfield halftime to 10 at 44-34 when Jayden Sheffield hit a corner triple.
Michael Moxley finishes a drive in the lane to give @PenfieldBball a 60-40 lead with 1:03 to go in the third. pic.twitter.com/gVBCI5byFA
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 28, 2024
Jackson Green starts the fourth-quarter scoring for @PenfieldBball pic.twitter.com/Z3759oDQLl
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 28, 2024
Christian Zarzycki hits a catch-and-shoot jumper. pic.twitter.com/4kDHgsLBHk
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 28, 2024
“They’re a high-scoring team,” Ellis said. “We knew that was a team that was going to pressure us a little bit. It forced us to really execute.”
Zarzycki connected seven times from the floor including twice from long range in the win. The junior guard converted 3-of-4 from the free throw line. Green had 18 points in the win. Johnson and Patrick Emling scored 15 apiece while Jake McCarthy accounted for 12 points.
Jahmere Brown and Julian Hill scored 16 points apiece to lead Rochester Prep (5-2). Kyron Shaw scored 14, and Sheffield had 11. Lamont Hill added three points for the Tigers.
Jayden Sheffield connects from the corner for Rochester Prep. Jake McCarthy answers at the other end for @PenfieldBball Patriots lead 46-34 in the middle of the third. pic.twitter.com/32bUjhMtMN
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 28, 2024
ROCHESTER PREP
Jahki Jackson 0 0-0 0, Kyron Shaw 5 4-6 14, Lamont Hill 1 0-0 3, Julian Hill 6 2-4 16, Jahmere Brown 7 0-1 16, Jayden Sheffield 3 4-6 11, Tyron Jones-Cleveland 0 0-0 0. TOTALS 22 10-17 — 60
PENFIELD
Jackson Green 9 0-1 18, CJ Johnson 5 4-4 15, Michael Moxley 1 0-0 2, Patrick Emling 6 3-4 15, Christian Zarzycki 7 3-4 19, Jake McCarthy 6 0-1 12 TOTALS 34 10-14 — 81
ROCHESTER PREP 16 5 22 17 — 60
PENFIELD 23 14 23 21 — 81
3-point goals ROCHESTER PREP 6 (Lamont Hill 1, Julian Hill 2, Brown 2, Sheffield 1); PENFIELD 3 (Johnson 1, Zarzycki 2).
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