The #6 Jesuit Crusaders took down the #2 Southridge Skyhawks 59-58 in a thriller on Tuesday, February 3rd.
This game had major implications for the Metro League title, as both teams only had one loss in Metro League play this year.
The first quarter was highly contested and physical, as the Crusaders entered the bonus after only five and a half minutes of play. Jesuit capitalized off of their opportunities at the free throw line and behind the arc, as the Crusaders pulled up for three frequently in the first quarter. However, Southridge's Elijah Thompson kept the Skyhawks in it, shooting lights out from the field as the two teams were knotted at 16 points at the end of the first.
The battle continued into the second quarter, as the two teams exchanged possessions. Junior Penny Harrison grabbed a couple of crucial rebounds for the Crusaders, as both teams vied for the lead, flip flopping throughout the second. At halftime, the Crusaders and Skyhawks remained neck and neck, as the Crusaders ended the half down 29-30.
The Crusaders were led with 8 points from both junior Major Williams and senior Ryan Barone. Most Jesuit points came from the three point line or the free throw line, as out of 7 Crusader buckets in the first quarter, 6 were threes. The Crusaders also capitalized with 9 points off of fouls. The Skyhawks, meanwhile, were led in scoring by Elijah Thompson, as they managed to put up 11 buckets in the first half.
The third quarter is where the game began to heat up. The Crusaders opened the quarter with a quick layup from senior Joe Stimpson. However, Southridge could not be stopped, as they went on a mid quarter 10-0 run on the Crusaders to go up 37-45. The Crusaders managed to slow their momentum, with Major Williams hitting some crucial shots, but the damage was done. Jesuit entered the fourth quarter down 42-50.
The Crusaders refused to go down without a fight. With some veteran leadership by senior Sam Curvy, the Crusaders managed to battle back and make the score 51-54 with 3:30 left to play. A few minutes later, Curvy would get his own rebound and tip it in to give the Crusaders a slim 55-54 lead. Southridge managed to go down and score, putting the pressure on Jesuit, down one with less than a minute to play.
With the clock winding down, Jesuit would miss a short shot with about 5 seconds to go, forcing them to foul, and sending Southridge to the line with 3.2 seconds remaining. Southridge would sink both shots, putting the Crusaders down three with one final chance to tie the game.
Curvy inbounded the ball to Stimpson, who sprinted down the court, and heaved the ball between two Southridge defenders from well behind the arc. The shot banked in off the backboard as the buzzer sounded.
In the ensuing pandemonium, one question remained: did Southridge foul Stimpson before his shot attempt? After multiple minutes of conferring by the referees, they counted the basket, tying the score at 58. Stimpson was also awarded a free throw as he was fouled during his shot attempt. As the crowd waited with bated breath, Stimpson sunk the free throw, giving Jesuit the upset win, 59-58, in an instant classic.
Leading Jesuit in scoring was Major Williams with 22, as Southridge was led by Elijah Thompson with 18.
“This win shows that we are a contender and that when we play together, we are a top team in the state,” said Sam Curvy. “This is a bounceback win after a tough loss to Beaverton.”
The next test for Jesuit comes on Wednesday, February 11th, as the Crusaders will travel to Sunset to face off against the Apollos. That game will tip off at 7:15 pm.
