BCL Semifinal-St. Frances vs Mount Carmel

<p>Last night the two BCL semifinal games took place at Calvert Hall College High School. In the first game, the No. 1 St. Frances Panthers took on the No. 4 Mount Carmel Cougars. The undefeated reigning BCL champs came out strong to build a comfortable lead in the first half, but Mount Carmel was able to pull within six points late in the fourth before the Panthers put the final touches on their 68-49 victory.</p> <p>Here are five takeaways from this matchup.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Lamothe keeps it rolling</strong></span></p> <p>It’s been encouraging to see 2023 [player_tooltip player_id="957025" first="Jahnathan" last="Lamothe"] return to his form that we saw last summer with Team Durant in the past couple of games. The 6-foot-3 combo guard is operating off the bounce more often and it’s creating more scoring opportunities for both himself and his teammates. The sophomore led St. Frances with 19 points and scored at an efficient clip from all three levels. He played with a focus and toughness defensively that helped the overall strong performance of his team and ultimately helped overwhelm the go-to options for Mount Carmel.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Dixon promises a bright future</strong></span></p> <p>2024 guard [player_tooltip player_id="1127307" first="Andrew" last="Dixon"] put together a strong freshman campaign and while Mount Carmel will miss guys such as [player_tooltip player_id="837931" first="Kevin" last="Kalu"] and Toby Nnadozie to graduation, Dixon’s fourth quarter performance showed why there’s plenty to look forward to in the coming years. The 5-foot-10 freshman led his team with 16 points and was lethal off the dribble as he got into the paint on a routine basis and finished with soft-touching floaters. Dixon has a confidence that is rare in freshman when handling the ball against pressure and is shifty enough to create space for open shots or driving lanes.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Staten sets the tone</strong></span></p> <p>2021 guard [player_tooltip player_id="836491" first="Khyrie" last="Staten"] is the heart and soul of this St. Frances team and his play to immediately start the game was a big reason why they established a big lead. The Delaware State commit scored 10 of his 17 points in the first quarter and helped the Panthers build a 19-3 lead after the first eight minutes of play. Staten was his usual scrappy self on the defensive end and helped manufacture multiple turnovers that resulted in fastbreak points thanks to his active hands.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Another underclassman to look forward to</strong></span></p> <p>2023 forward Mitchell Kalu emerged on the scene this year for Mount Carmel and established himself as the ultimate utility guy. Over the past month, his game and confidence has grown and although a big undersized for his position at 6-foot-4, his blend of strength and athleticism make him a challenge for any big in the league. Kalu is a workhorse who mirrors the motor of his older brother Kevin. The trio of Kalu, Dixon and 2022 guard [player_tooltip player_id="904628" first="Deon" last="Perry"] will be a solid foundation for Coach Quinn moving forward. Kalu recorded 11 points in the loss last night.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>St. Frances continues to write history</strong></span></p> <p>The Panthers are in pursuit of a perfect season with a win in the title game. Currently sitting at 15-0, St. Frances will go for their fourth-straight BCL title this Friday as they face off against No. 6 John Carroll, who upset yet another opponent in No. 2 Archbishop Spalding last night to win their eight-straight game. St. Frances defeated the Patriots 82-64 in their first meeting earlier this season, but John Carroll is riding a high that they hope will carry over into tomorrow night.</p>