CHSAA boys basketball beat writer Dylan Butler breaks down Tuesday’s Class B semifinals at Mount St. Michael.
Here’s the schedule:
6 p.m. – Salesian vs. Blessed Sacrament
7:30 p.m. – Sacred Heart vs. St. Joseph by the Sea
Salesian Eagles
Head coach: John Miressi
Record: 17-7
Player to watch: Kevin Punter
Blessed Sacrament Cardinals
Head coach: Greg Wilson
Record: 6-12
Player to watch: Malcolm Covington
Outlook: Salesian is the defending Class B intersectional champions and is one win away from playing in the final again. The top-seeded Eagles are a senior-laden group, led by Kevin Punter and Jason Alleyne. The duo combined for 24 points in a 66-28 victory against Cathedral Prep Saturday in the quarterfinals.
Led by Christ the King transfer Malcolm Covington, fourth-seeded Blessed Sacrament defeated No. 5 Saint Agnes, 69-44, in the quarterfinals Saturday. This is a rematch of a semifinal last year, won by Salesian.
The Eagles also got the better of the Cardinals during the regular season, winning 71-38 on Jan. 13.
Covington, though, is hoping to change his team’s fortunes on Tuesday.
“They lost to [Salesian] last year,” Covington said. “Coming into this game, it will be real big. … This is my first semifinal as a varsity basketball player.”
Sacred Heart Fighting Irish
Head coach: Mike McDonnell
Record: 16-8
Player to watch: D’andre McPhatter
St. Joseph by the Sea Vikings
Head coach: Scott Welle
Record: 8-15
Player to watch: Mike Nierva
Outlook: St. Joseph by the Sea has made a habit out of postseason upsets. Last year, the Vikings stunned Mount St. Michael to reach the Class A intersectional semifinals and this year, Scott Welle’s squad, the No. 7 seed in the ‘B’ playoffs, defeated third-seeded Nazareth, 49-46, in the quarterfinals Saturday.
The key to victory Saturday was pushing the ball inside to Alan Siergiej, a 6-foot-6 senior who had 16 points while 6-foot-3 sophomore Stephen Matrangolo added 12 points.
While it’s a different level, Sea is again one game away from playing for its first intersectional basketball championship.
“We are definitely trying to make school history, win the first [boys basketball] city championship in our school,” Siergiej said. “This is just another step closer to it.”
Sea will have its hands full with second-seeded Sacred Heart, which is led by D’andre McPhatter, who had 18 points in a 49-34 victory against Monsignor Scanlan in the quarterfinals. Terry Larrier added 13 points for the Fighting Irish.