Game Recap: Mount St. Joseph 64, John Carroll 59

Mount St. Joseph protected its home court with a thrilling win over BCL rival John Carroll in a back-and-forth affair. The win edges the Gaels (6-2) slightly ahead of the Patriots (5-2) in the league standings. Senior guard and St. Joe's commit [player_tooltip player_id='2252277' first='BJ' last='Ranson'] led MSJ with a game-high 26 points, with Carroll led by its senior tandem of Randolph-Macon pledge [player_tooltip player_id='2547300' first='Andrew' last='Clark'] (20 points) and UMBC-bound guard [player_tooltip player_id='1782586' first='Aidan' last='Able'] (18 points).    Among the primary contenders for league POY honors, Ranson boosted his resumé with a dynamic 26-point effort to steer the win. A natural scorer from all over the floor, he was able to create for himself at a moment's notice, playing efficient out of actions both on and off the ball to create space for himself on the perimeter. Aside from his self-creation, Ranson used his length, quickness and instincts to create extra possessions and put himself in position for scrap points. The St. Joe's commit plays with a spring in his step that helps to overcome a lack of strength. He projects as a potential immediate impact piece in the A10 with significant upside left to tap into if his body takes a jump.     While his team took a narrow loss, it was no fault of Clark, who did yeoman's work around the basket throughout the game in a hyper-efficient 20-point effort. Clark thrived sticking to his bread and butter as a workmanlike operator near the basket. He consistently beat opposing bigs down the floor to get position in early offense, presenting a great target for his guards with soft hands and swift technique as a finisher through traffic. Clark also showed good activity on the glass on both ends (9 rebounds) and as a rim protector. While Randolph-Macon consistently recruits at as high a level as you'll find in D3, Clark could still prove to be a steal as he continues to look and produce like a surefire scholarship-level prospect in the frontcourt.     A key secondary scorer alongside Ranson, Etolue scored 13 points including a key bucket and free throw in the closing minutes to help ice the game. He thrived as a physical downhill driver, showing good body control in the paint with sturdy handle on the perimeter to create advantages without a ball screen. Etolue showed the ability to create his own offense from nothing or attack decisively off the catch against a rotating defense. While he's not the most consistent perimeter threat, he shows potential as noted by a 1-dribble pullup 3 and a smooth midrange pullup. He tracks as a clear scholarship-level prospect with a chance to earn D1 attention over the next year.     Also scoring in double figures from the MSJ backcourt, Word was a consistent factor at the point of attack with his dynamic play off the bounce and feisty defensive pressure. The sophomore, who returns with extensive varsity experience already, was lightning-quick getting north/south with his handle, particularly showing a strong left hand on a series of downhill drives on his way to 12 points. He's a confident shooter with polished mechanics across situations and good elevation to help get his shot off over lengthier defenders. Word did a good job keeping the ball in front of him on D, with quick reactions and sneaky length to bother opposing jump shooters. He's still pretty immature physically and has room to develop as a decisionmaker, but Word shows a lot of promising signs for a young guard to make him worthy of monitoring at the D1 level.     Among the more established entities in the region, Able is in Year 4 as a go-to varsity contributor, having recently become the leading scorer in John Carroll history. He wasn't quite at his best on Wednesday night, but still managed 18 points in a workmanlike effort while drawing extra defensive attention throughout the game. He stands out immediately as being in the best shape of his life, having transitioned excess bulk into muscle. Able is known as a prolific shooter, but while he struggled to get going from the perimeter, he used threat of his jumper to create physical downhill drives, showing mature pace off the bounce and playing strong off two feet in the paint. He also impressed as a poised passer out of double teams with size to see over top of opposing defenses. Able's multifaceted impact and improved frame should have him competing for minutes right away at the next level.     While his production was limited in a condensed role off the bench, Word showed promising glimpses of what he offers as a long-term prospect. He impressed as a versatile scoring threat, both as a spacer from the perimeter and a physical downhill driver. He doesn't play like a freshman in terms of his pace and ability to use his body on both ends of the floor, particularly standing out with his ability to defend bigger than his height. It will be interesting to see how his body develops in the coming years but the skill and feel are there in spades to portend long-term D1 potential at this early stage.

Mount St. Joseph protected its home court with a thrilling win over BCL rival John Carroll in a back-and-forth affair. The win edges the Gaels (6-2) slightly ahead of the Patriots (5-2) in the league standings. Senior guard and St. Joe's commit BJ Ranson BJ Ranson 6'1" | PG Mount St. Joseph | 2026 State MD led MSJ with a game-high 26 points, with Carroll led by its senior tandem of Randolph-Macon pledge Andrew Clark Andrew Clark 6'9" | PF/C John Carroll | 2026 State MD (20 points) and UMBC-bound guard Aidan Able Aidan Able 6'3" | SG John Carroll | 2026 State MD (18 points).