Punter's Late Basket Lifts All Hallows past Xaverian 67-66

              Kieffer Punter hit a tough mid range step back bank shot with just under a minute and a half to go that gave All Hallows the lead for good at 65-63. From there two more free throws from Punter and strong defense help them earn a tough win at Xaverian Sunday afternoon.

              Punter's clutch shot put the finishing touch on what was a well balanced and winning effort for the Gales. He finished with 17 points while fellow senior guard Carnell White finished with a team high 23 for the visitors from the Bronx. The Gaels also got key contributions from another senior Cameron Otiti as well as promising sophomore Nick Johnson. They scored effectively both at the rim and from beyond the arc. That consistent offense combined with defensive stops in the closing moments helped coach Marvin McCullough's squad earn a tough win.

              At 6'4" Punter has the skill, size vision and shooting ability to play both  guard spots. He has been the focus of the Gaels offense for the last two seasons and, like his team, has struggled through growing pains. If yesterday's game is an indicator of the season both Punter and the team could be ready for a good season. While they will likely struggle against teams with good size such as Molloy, and CK, their ability to play with poise and confidence yesterday on the road as Xaverian rallied from a 7 point third quarter deficit  bodes well for the rest of their season. They found multiple sources for points and Punter did a great job making decisions, both scoring himself and getting his team mates involved.

              The Clippers played their first league game without league game under new coach Tommy Burns and struggled to find offense in the early going. All Hallows did a terrific job keying on the Clippers' senior  wing Zack Bruno, who overcame a slow shooting start to finish with a game high 29 points. Sophomore Isaiah Amazan and senior John Boyle each augmented Bruno's effort with strong games although  both sat for long stretches thanks to foul problems. Boyle is a 6'6" wide body who finishes effectively with either hand around the basket. He's also the team's best screener and his ability to do that helped  create scoring chances for Amazan and Bruno in the second half. He's someone division 2's and 3's should have their eye on.

              Right now both of these teams are building and All Hallows is further along in that process while Xaverian will likely spend much of the year trying to find out how this edition of the team can play following last season's memorable championship run. The top of the CHSAA "AA" division will be filled with great size as well as talent and while these teams don't have big men there's plenty of talent for colleges at all levels to watch grow and develop..