By Richard Carrier
Contributing Writer

In their first true test of the season the Blessed Sacrament boys basketball squad faced a team that was as fast, as deep and as tough as the Knights in the Richmond Christian School Warriors last week. Until half way through the third quarter, with the exception of Chris Howard’s and Trevor Gilliam’s first half three pointers, the Knights vaunted medium and long range long shooting abandoned them. Depending on their speed game played right into the hands of the Warriors and the first quarter ended with BSH ahead by a mere 14-11. While the rest of the Knights were firing blanks from distance, Gilliam canned a three and provided the highlight of the first quarter with a twisting rim-high lay-up.

Sophomore center Ethan Sill scored the first four points for the Knights and showed the strength and toughness which would eventually spell the difference in a 74-64 win for Blessed Sacrament. But if was far tougher than the ten-point spread might indicate.

The Warrior’s miniature speed burner, freshman Otis Williams, drained a jumper to start the second quarter and Howard fired in his three before Sill rolled to the rim for a six-point spread. Williams took the base line over the Knights’ big men and manufactured a three-point play, Sills made a free throw but the Warriors’ David Jenkins fired in consecutive three’s and Williams captured the baseline again to give the Warriors a 25-22 lead.

The teams traded baskets and went to the locker room with Richmond Christian leading 27-24.

Richmond Christian ramped up the pressure with William’s corner three and Andre Patterson’s lay-up.

Chris O’Hara scored on a put-back and Justin Yancy went baseline for two more. William’s fired in another three at 35-30 but, in a key moment of the game, John Moore finally found the range. His three from the top of the circle brought the Knights close at 35-33 and Gilliam dropped in two free throws to tie. Sills snatched an offensive rebound and stuffed it back for the lead before Moore showed he was back in the groove with another three point dart.

Again the teams traded baskets before free throws gave the Knights a six point spread at 44-38.

The Warriors closed the gap to one on five consecutive made foul shots.

Gilliam fired in a three but Williams scored a bucket and the two squads went to their benches with BSH holding a slim 47-45 lead.
Yancy opened the final period with a free throw, Gilliam slid over to his favorite spot in the left corner for another successful three pointer and BSH had a six-point lead.
Brandon Binns got two back for the Warriors, but Moore fired in his third three pointer and Gilliam pilfered and streaked down court to give the Knights their biggest lead of the night at 56-47.

RCS got two back and then Sills took over. His roll to the rim earned him two made free throws followed by a defensive rebound in dense traffic on the RCS possession. At the Knights’ offensive end he pulled down a rebound, was fouled and sank both ends of the pressure packed one-and-one for a 60-51 lead.
Yancy scored on a run out and the Knights appeared to be comfortable at 62-51 with only 3:49 remaining.

But the Warriors wouldn’t roll over. Melvin Garrison, a full back playing guard for the Warriors went in amongst the trees to score on a drive and then on an offensive put-back to pull RCS back to seven down. Down court, Gilliam slid over to his sweet spot and lasered in a three for a ten point lead.
Williams, maybe 5’6” in his sneakers, took it to the 6’3’ Sills and not only scored but drew the foul. He missed the free throw and the eight point spread was as close as the Warriors would get.

The Knights played a smothering man-to-man defense and Yancy’s little hook shot in the lane moved the lead to 12 with 1:34 remaining.
Sills went up against four Warriors to secure the next rebound and Yancy converted the opportunity for two free throws at 71-58. The Warriors’ Jenkins and Williams; a game high 26 points, made consecutive three’s, sandwiched between three BSH foul shots, for the final totals.
Jason Keith, the Warriors Head Coach’s pre-game warning was prophetic. “They’re all shooters,” he said. “Watch out, they’re all shooters.”
Sills led the Knights in points (18), rebounds (13) and tied with Gilliam (16 points) for second half points with 11 each. Yancy added 14 points and Moore 12.
Coach Ben Pomeroy called off the Knights pressing defense in the second half. “I told them, ‘if you’re going to win it will be with your man-to-man’.”