KNIGHTSTOWN, IN — It seemed to have the flavor of the movie.
The St. Joseph Flyers played the Cristo Rey Cougars in the Hoosiers Gym on Thursday, the same gym used to film the movie “Hoosiers.”
In the movie, Hickory was a small school with an enrollment of 64 while St. Joseph’s total number of students is 44. Cristo Rey — another Catholic school just 15 years old in Columbus — has 400 students.
It was only fitting that the Flyers wore the jerseys with “Hickory” across the front and they lived up to the name as they beat the Cougars 71-61.
“Cristo Rey is long, fast and athletic and we had four guys in double digits which is big for us,” said Flyers’ coach Jason Wells.
“Drew Brown kind of got us going in the first half with the turnovers he forced in the back court that turned into fast breaks.”
Brown got the Flyers going in the first quarter as he hit a trifecta and scored 9 points while Erikai Jackson also had a 3-pointer and scored 7 points to give the Flyers a 23-13 lead.
Nathanel Gezahun scored 5 points and Xavier Hargrove 4 for the Cougars.
St Joseph (5-3) extended its lead to 42-28 at the half as Kai Coleman hit triple and scored 7 points, Landon Rowe knocked down 3-pointer and scored 4 points, Hunter Staton added 4 points and Brady “Quinn” Medinger drained a shot from behind the arc.
Jamari Williams had 8 points for the Wolves including 4-of-4 at the line.
The Cougars cut the deficit to 58-47 after three quarters as Jordan Croom hit a 3-pointer and Williams, Gezahun and Hargrove all had 4 points.
Staton came back to get 6 points and Jackson had 4 more for the Flyers.
But the Flyers opened up an 18-point lead with 2:50 left in the fourth quarter on a 3-point play by Staton who had 5 points in the quarter and Brown 4.
Cristo Rey managed to cut into the lead over the final two minutes but the comeback hopes fell way too short.
Staton finished with 17 points and Brown scored 15. Both Jackson and Coleman scored 11 points.
“It was good to see Hunter Staton get down hill on some strong takes,” said Wells. “We’re happy to be heading home with a win.”
Gezahun had 17 points, Williams 16 and Hargrove 10 for the Cougars (0-7).
Cristo Rey 14 14 19 14 = 61
St. Joseph 23 19 16 13 = 71
PROVIDENCE CRISTO REY (0-7): Jamari Williams 5 6-6 16, Nathanel Gezahun 8 0 1-1-5 17, Jordan Croom 1 2 0-0 8, Miki Gezahun 1 0 0-0 2, Xavier Hargrove 4 0 2-5 10, Moses Desrojiers 1 0 2-3 4, Bernardo Oppong 2 0 0-0 4. Totals: 22 2 11-19 61. Fouls: 15. Fouled out: Oppong.
ST. JOSEPH (5-3): Erikai Jackson 4 1 -0 11, Kai Coleman 4 1 0-1 11, Evan Balestra 2 0 1-2 5, Hunter Staton 7 0 4-5 18, Drew Brown 5 1 2-2 15, Landon Rowe 2 1 1-2 8, Wesley Neal 0 0 0-0 0, Brady “Quinn” Medinger 0 1 0-0 3, Jake Stephens 0 0 0-0 0, Carter Johnson 0 0 0-0 0, Ian Whaley 0 0 0-0 0, Blake Medinger 0 0 0-0 0, Carson Willis 0 0 0-0 0. Totals: 24 5 8-12 71. Fouls: 17. Fouled out: None.
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