Salem Academy High School’s boys basketball team sprinted out to a big lead with a strong defensive effort and thwarted all of Blanchet’s comeback attempts in Tuesday’s 53-42 win in the rivalry PacWest Conference between the near-by schools.
Salem Academy improves to 6-1 in the PacWest and 14-3 overall and moves up to No. 2 in the OSAA’s power rankings. Blanchet falls to 6-1 in the PacWest and 12-5 overall.
Blanchet sprinted out to a 24-8 lead mid-way through the second quarter on two free throws by senior Skyler Williams.
“Defense is the key to offense, and so that’s what our coach has been pushing that,” said Williams, who scored 17 points. “We’ve started to do that and made defense into offense and that’s what made us get into a big lead in the second half.”
Salem Academy’s Rylan Stamback goes up for a basket in a game on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2017, at Blanchet Catholic School. Salem Academy won the matchup 53-42.
The Crusaders’ suffocating defense held Blanchet to 5 for 17 from the field in the first half, including 2 for 9 from 3-point range, but the Cavaliers shot 5 for 14 from the free throw line all by themselves.
Blanchet clawed its way back in the second half behind 17 points by sophomore R.J. Veliz, who finished with 24 points, but the Cavaliers couldn’t any closer than 47-39 in the fourth quarter.