In the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan quarterfinals Sunday, the Stanners made a point of making sure the…
By Dylan Butler
The last time the two teams met, Prep senior Rashad Bell scorched Molloy to the tune of 49 points in the Terriers’ seven-point loss last week.
In the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan quarterfinals Sunday, the Stanners made a point of making sure the 6-foot-6 senior forward who was named division MVP would not do that again.
Molloy held Bell to a quiet 19 points, with most of his points coming from the free throw line as the Stanners cruised to a 67-51 win at St. Francis College.
“I was very surprised,” Molloy senior guard Thomas Harrison said of Bell’s breakthrough performance. “I didn’t know he was that good. He was just in the zone. I think it might have been his birthday.”
This time around Molloy (17-8) would not be surprised. Any time Bell touched the ball, he was surrounded by Stanners defenders who did a good job of denying him the ball.
“We definitely made that a point of emphasis,” said Molloy senior Wendell Gibson, who scored a team-high 14 points. “He’s going to get his share, but we wanted to contain him.”
Added Bell: “Last time my shots were dropping. Today, they weren’t dropping.”
With the game tied at 14 in the second quarter, Molloy’s horses got out and ran. Harrison and Marlon Smith slashed to the hole. Jamaal Wagner canned a pair of three-pointers, Smith drained an 18-footer and Gibson finished the break with a layup to cap a 14-0 run to give the Stanners a 28-14 lead.
Prep (9-16) scored six of the final eight points of the half to slice Molloy’s lead to 32-24 but the Stanners extended their lead to 13 in the third quarter thanks to some hot perimeter shooting by John Maser, who canned three three-pointers, and Wagner, whose trifecta gave the Stanners a 51-38 lead at the end of the quarter.
Ironically, Molloy did most of its damage came when Gibson was sidelined with foul trouble.
“They have a good backcourt. Marlon Smith and Thomas Harrison did a good job of pushing the ball up the floor,” Bell said. “It caused some bad matchups for us.”
In addition to Gibson’s 14 points, Harrison had 13 points, Wagner added 12, Maser had 11 and John Sikiric netted 10. Kevin White had 13 points and E.J. Kapela had 10 for the Terriers.
Notes: In addition to Bell being named MVP, the division announced its first and second team all-stars. Joe Marino from Holy Cross, Christ the King’s Rob Barrett and Gibson from Molloy joined Xaverian sophomore Chris Taft and Bishop Loughlin junior Curtis Sumpter on the B/Q first-team all-league.
The second-team consisted of Chris Fileti from Holy Cross, Christ the King’s Peedy Nelson, Kevin Bishop from McClancy, Xaverian’s Lou Karis and Bishop Loughlin’s Ted Munford.
Reach Associate Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at Timesledgr@aol.com or call 229-0300, Ext. 143.
