Star turns on the way to Crusaders’ win

The non-league came pitted John S. Burke Catholic against Monroe Woodbury High School.

| 16 Jan 2022 | 02:38

The Crusaders hosted the Eagles of John S. Burke Catholic in a non- league match up on Friday night. The Crusaders entered the game with a 7-4 record after losing their last game 60-45 to Middletown. The Eagles came in with a 5-4 record, having lost to James I. O’Neil 59-44. The Crusaders came out pressing on defense and were able to score the first seven points of the game.

Jayden Coulanges led the Crusader’s charge scoring four of his eight points in the surge. The Eagles called a quick time out and reversed their slow start by scoring the next 6 points and the first quarter ended with the Crusaders hanging on to a 7-6 lead.

In the second quarter the lead changed hands several times, with Samuel Fileen hitting one of his three 3-point shots in the game, as the Crusaders increased their lead to 22-15 at the half. The Crusaders got off to another good start at the beginning of the third quarter, this time scoring the first six points, as they stretched their lead to 13 points.

As the Crusaders began to take control of the game, Matthew Omitiran got behind the Eagles’ defense, drove down the lane and finished with a thunderous one handed dunk that brought his team off the bench and the fans to their feet. By the end of the third quarter, the Crusaders had the game well in hand with a 47-24 lead. In the final quarter, Jankarlos Mendoza scored six of his eight points in the game as the Crusaders went on to a 63-29 victory. The Crusaders’ victory brings their record to 8-4 for the season. Their next game will be Wednesday when they host Kingston.