CASS junior hoops Knights run out the clock on St. Joe’s Rams

Knights Greyson Padfield (centre) and Easton Freeman (right) look to tie up the ball with St. Joe’s L. Collins. (Jeff Tribe Photo)

Jeff Tribe, Echo Correspondent

The Woodstock College Avenue (CASS) Knights ran out the clock on the St. Thomas St. Joe’s Rams in a Thames Valley Regional Athletics (TVRA) Southeast AA junior boys basketball semi-final ‘game of runs’ Tuesday, February 17 in Woodstock.

“We knew it was going to be a challenge for sure,” said CASS forward Greyson Padfield following a hard-fought 76-68 victory. “Back and forth all game.”

The Rams opened with an 18-15 advantage through the first quarter, the homecourt team answering with a 24-14 response in the second, taking a 39-32 lead into halftime. St. Joe’s pushed back in the third frame, outscoring College Avenue by a 19-12 margin to square the game.

An extended, intense series of offensive punches and counterpunches was finally decided in the game’s final two minutes as the Knights’ Lukas Mickevicius knocked down a corner three from the left wing, giving CASS a 72-65 advantage. The Rams’ next offensive possession ended on a lengthy three-point attempt air-balled and was recovered by the Knights. Tyler VanMarrum finished off a press break with a lay-in, extending the gap to nine.

The Rams’ Q. Herbert was fouled on a shooting attempt beyond the arc with 41.2 seconds left, but managed to sink only one free throw, the teams trading baskets through the final seconds of an eight-point CASS victory.

“We knew they were coming for us,” said Padfield, crediting a quality St. Joe’s team with the ability to mix up defences, hit from beyond the three-point line, and from the inside.

Mickevicius led all scorers with 23 points, including nine in the pivotal fourth quarter. He called energy the difference in the game, the Knights admittedly struggling through the opening five minutes of the first quarter.

“The last three minutes ramped up and for the rest of the game it was there.”

Padfield added 19 for the Knights, VanMarrum 16, Kameron Roos 10, Easton Freeman four and Dylan Hircsu one field goal. L. Collins had 17 in a losing cause, Herbert added 15 for the Rams, E. Howick 15 and M. Thomas 10.

The Knights will meet the St. Thomas Parkside Colts in the TVRA Southeast final.

“Play team ball,” said VanMarrum. “And we need to clean up our passing a bit. Wasn’t the best in the first quarter.”

“Should be a good one,” added Knights’ coach Scott Awde.

Parkside qualified with a 76-67 homecourt win over the Woodstock St. Mary’s Warriors. Both TVRA Southeast finalists also qualified for Western Ontario Secondary Schools Athletic Association (WOSSAA) AA semi-finals on Wednesday, Feb. 25 at Stratford St. Mike’s.

The Woodstock CI senior Red Devils also punched their ticket to their WOSSAA AA championship on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at Listowel District Secondary School with a comparatively comfortable 70-40 homecourt TVRA semi-final win over Lord Dorchester on Tuesday, Feb. 17.

“Big deal,” agreed WCI’s Jack Carnegie. “Job’s not done though.”

The Red Devils led 21-10 after eight minutes, 33-17 at the half and broke the game open with a 25-11 run through the third quarter. Will Halward paced a balanced attack with 13 points, Zack Molinaro and Derek Gravel added 12 apiece, on two and four three-point field goals respectively, Carnegie and Oscar Berkeley had eight each, Diangelo Sanfilippo six, Preston Hilderley four, Kael Wettlaufer three and Preston Dopf and Angus Jaques a field goal apiece. W. Downing had 14 to lead Dorchester offensively.

WCI was scheduled to travel to St. Thomas St. Joe’s on Monday, Feb. 23, to decide the TVRA Southeast AA title, before heading to WOSSAA two days later, proving the Red Devils have made a successful transition from A to AA competition.

“I mean, it’s more games,” said Carnegie. “Not just in, we’ve got to earn it, and we’re up for the challenge.”

“Steeper hill, same goal,” added Hilderley, noting WCI has been playing AA and AAA teams during tournaments throughout the season. “Whatever comes, we’re ready.”