3 observations from Briarcrest’s win over Christian Brothers
Briarcrest defeated Christian Brothers, 71-60, to improve to 21-3 on the season. It’s the Saints’ 14th straight victory and their second over the Purple Wave this season. Both programs will meet again on Feb. 2. Here are 3 observations from…
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Continue ReadingBriarcrest defeated Christian Brothers, 71-60, to improve to 21-3 on the season. It’s the Saints’ 14th straight victory and their second over the Purple Wave this season.
Both programs will meet again on Feb. 2.
Here are 3 observations from Briarcrest Christian’s win over Christian Brothers:
Early shooting rhythm
Senior guard Cooper Haynes didn’t score in double figures in the first meeting between both programs. So, it was only right for Haynes to redeem himself the second time around. In the early minutes of the first quarter, Haynes converted on a 3-point play and knocked down a deep 3 to help the Saints jump out to a 12-0 lead. Haynes, who finished the night with 25 points, scored 12 of Briarcrest Christian’s 21 first quarter points.
The Belmont commit opened the second quarter with two made free throws before making a 3 at the halfway point to give the Saints a 32-19 lead.
Haynes also went perfect from the free throw line (5 for 5).
Great balance
While Haynes led the way, Briarcrest Christian received great contributions from sophomore forward Fred Smith, senior guard Connor Mancell, and senior forward Braden Bryan. Smith finished with 20 points and 8 rebounds. The 6-foot-6 forward didn’t miss a shot around the rim, as he did a great job of finishing over sophomore forward Keeper Jackson each time he had him pinned deep in the paint.
Mancell added 9 points. He made an important 3 from the corner late in the second quarter to give the Saints a 38-30 lead after the Purple Wave reeled off five straight points.
Bryan provided 7 points. He did a great job of using his 6-4 frame to score in the paint over smaller defenders.
No quitting
Christian Brothers trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half. Jackson Saatkamp scored 11 of his 19 points in the second quarter that ignited a spark. Coming out of the half, the Purple Wave were down 38-32 and made things interesting for a moment in the early minutes of the third quarter.
A 3 by guard Carson Chandler had Christian Brothers down 42-39. The momentum was short-lived as Briarcrest Christian scored on its next four possessions to build another double-digit lead. Chandler made another 3 then a score by Saatkamp cut the deficit to single digits once more.
The Saints grabbed another double-digit lead heading into the 4th quarter and didn’t look back. But, the Purple Wave didn’t quit. They battled and kept the contest within reach on multiple occasions in the second half. Unfortunately, enough shots – especially shots that usually fall – didn’t drop to the bottom of the net for the road team.