Xaverian Works Overtime for First League Win 77-71

                Sophomore Billy Reyes scored 23 points while junior Isaiah Amazan added 20 to lift Xaverian and new coach Clyde Chapman to their first league win over a tough, St. Francis Prep squad 77-71.

    It makes perfect basketball sense that these two teams would need overtime to decide what was a hard-fought contest as Xaverian and St. Francis enter this season facing very similar circumstances. Both Chapman and The Prep’s Jim Lynch are beginning their first varsity seasons after serving apprenticeships at sub varsity levels. The two teams are also similar because they feature underclassmen as their primary scorers and offense for both teams comes primarily from the perimeter since both teams have guards who can drive the ball to the rim and space the floor with good shooting.  That perimeter emphasis   became even more important for the Clippers in the game’s opening moments when junior forward Michael Graham left the game with a leg injury.

                Graham, an improving 6’7” forward had established himself as a force around the basket in the early going for Xaverian.  His fast start to the season included a 22-point effort in a hard-fought loss to St. Ray’s on Sunday. In his absence the visitors from Queens went right at the Clippers taking the ball strong to the basket and finishing drives at the rim and sometimes kicking the ball for three point tries. The perimeter trio of junior Justin Hendrick, sophomore Anthony Lopez and senior Brandon Tatis all scored with strong drives and shots from distance. The youngest of the group, Lopez is a 6’2” guard with terrific length and a quick and long first step and is a prospect D-1 programs should watch closely. They helped St. Francis forge leads of 18-12 after the first period and 33-27 at the intermission.

    Xaverian started quickly in the third period behind the backcourt tandem of Amazan and Reyes. Their good work plus key plays from senior Josh Denis and junior Zack Hayn helped the Clippers re-take the lead in the third period and set the stage for a terrific see-saw battle that showed off both teams’ ability to make clutch plays at key times. Lopez and Hendrick were high scorers for the Terriers with 21 and 18 respectively while Tatis added double figures and tied the game in the final minute of regulation with a tough drive out of the post.

                While the Clippers went ahead for good on two free throws by Amazan in the overtime and then iced the game with 4 free throws from Reyes, an unexpected contribution off the bench, and on the defensive end of the floor may have provided the difference for the Clippers.  Sophomore reserve Elijah Hardison filled in admirably for his injured team mate Graham. While he finished with just 6 points he provided a tough defensive presence in the paint in a game when his teammates struggled to keep St. Francis’ guards in front of them.  While Xaverian’s offense came from the perimeter Hardison’s play around the basket was just as essential to a well-earned win for the young Clippers and their new coach.

   Both Xaverian and St. Francis figure to be part of a large and competitive middle ground in the CHSAA’s “AA” league. They do not have the size to match up with the top four of Christ the King, Molloy, Stepinac and Hayes, but they have the ability to space the floor and score and, if the young core of both of these teams can continue to improve they could be dangerous come March.