Game Recap: St. Edward vs St. Ignatius

<p>A three-week absence wasn’t enough to stop St. Edward from continuing its undefeated season. Friday night, the Eagles defeated St. Ignatius 84-76 in a game where they never trailed thanks to elite performances from [player_tooltip player_id="921749" first="Michael" last="Bova"] and [player_tooltip player_id="919007" first="Shane" last="Macalla"]. Both guards made things difficult for the Wildcats throughout the night, as they had an answer for nearly all scoring runs that put them within striking distance.</p> <p>The Eagle lead got down to three points midway through the fourth quarter, but that would be as close as [player_tooltip player_id="714488" first="Henry" last="Raynor"] and his team got to making a comeback. Below are a few players that stood out during Friday night’s rivalry game. </p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Top Performers</span></p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="921749" first="Michael" last="Bova"] | 6-2 Jr | St. Edward</strong></p> <p>No player seemed more clutch than the stellar play from Bova. He poured in 13 points alone in the fourth quarter, including making 9-of-11 free throws in the closing minutes after both teams struggled to limit fouls. He's a guard who finishes with the best of them when he attacks the basket. The way Bova is able to use his body to draw contact is impressive for a player his size. He's able to attack the basket well with both hands and wasn't afraid to show off an outside jump shot throughout the first half. The junior finished with a game-high 26 points and plays a lot tougher than his size. </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="714488" first="Henry" last="Raynor"] | 6-7 Sr | St. Ignatius</strong></p> <p>Raynor-- like Bova-- did a lot of his damage in the fourth quarter. The forward was able to utilize a size mismatch inside the paint and saw a lot of success posting up and getting to the free-throw line. He finished the game knocking down 10-of-16 free throws, en route to scoring a team-high 20 points. The Wildcats were able to rely on Raynor's presence inside the paint late in the game and that was a big reason why they were within reach of taking the lead in the closing minutes. The footwork of the senior has improved from the last time I saw him play and he'll continue to be relied upon heavily near the rim for a team that struggles at times scoring the ball inside the paint effectively.  </p> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="919007" first="Shane" last="Macalla"] | 6-0 Sr | St. Edward</strong></p> <p>The most effective scorer on the floor Friday night, Macalla shined behind the arc. He connected on five 3-pointers, including drawing two fouls behind the arc as well. The sharpshooter finished the game with 25 points and sinking all six of his free throws. He appeared to be just as effective shooting from the corner or off of a screen. His ability to control the tempo of the game with the ball in his hands was impressive to watch as well, as no moment seemed too bright for a player who's breaking out for the Eagles. Macala is swiftly establishing himself as one of the most lethal 3-point shooters in the area and the backcourt of him and Bova will be something to watch for throughout the remainder of the season, as they can go up against anybody. </p> <p><strong>Zyion Freer-Brown | 6-0 Jr | St. Edward</strong></p> <p>A player who doesn't need to light up the score sheet in order to make a statement in the game, Zyion Freer-Brown was able to end the night with nine points and 10 rebounds. He had three offensive rebounds in the first half alone and grabbed another offensive rebound off of a missed free throw with under one minute left in the game. The guard was able to move well without the ball, as most of the damage done was making plays off the ball in order to set his teammates up for open looks. Freer-Brown was a bit rusty near the rim though, missing a couple of easy layups but has the ability to create second-chance points for his team on any given possession. He was one of the most active players I've seen without the ball this season and I don't think the Eagles pull off the win without a performance like this coming from a player off the bench.</p>