Junior Patrick Moseh (2) scored a team-high 20 points before a packed Fr Godley Gym Sunday afternoon game with Gonzaga.
“I couldn’t be prouder of our guys.” said head coach Neil Berkman, following the Cardinals 67-61 loss to top-ranked Gonzaga Sunday at Fr Godley Gym. Before a full house on another “Rivalry Sunday” afternoon, the Cardinals came out hard and knocked Gonzaga back on their heels early and kept the Eagles chasing the home team’s lead deep into the third quarter. In the end, however, the purple jerseyed Gonzaga did chase down the hosts and managed to survive with a 6-point win.
Junior Taylor McHugh lit the gym early with the game’s first 5 points, Louie Khouri and Da’von Wiley added hoops, and suddenly Ireton was off to a 9-2 advantage enroute to a surprising 22-11 lead after one period of play.
Gonzaga put together a 9-0 run in the second stanza behind 4 of his game high 24 points from Kris Jenkins, as well as baskets RaMond Hines and Sam Miller to close the margin to 24-21. The Cardinals responded with 6-0 run of their own when Marquis Holland made a pair of free throws, Patrick Moseh contributed 2 free throws and Kyree Robinson slashed to the basket for a layup and a 29-21 lead. In a see saw quarter, Gonzaga again countered and Ireton nursed a 34-29 lead into the halftime locker room.
After Dan Noe made a pair of free throws to open the third, Gonzaga’s Tavon Blackmon answered with a three, and Charles Glover responded with 2 free throws after a Moseh field goal as the game tightened to 38-34 contest. Blackmon’s jumper tied the game at 41-41, and a three would give Gonzaga it’s first lead at 44-41. Ireton would continue to match the Eagles point for point and the third quarter ended 48-47 in favor of Gonzaga.
Hines gave the visitors breathing room with a three and Jenkins followed with a put back and a free throw and suddenly the deficit for Ireton was 58-51. Louie Khouri hit a big three for Ireton and Moseh answered a Hines bucket with a floater to keep Ireton hanging around at 60-56. Jordan Abdur-Ra’oof scored and was fouled, and his three point play pushed the lead to 63-56, a Charles Glover jump shot gave the Eagles a 7-point advantage as time became the enemy of a Cardinal comeback.
Moseh answered with his final basket of the game and Taylor McHugh ended the Ireton scoring as he started it with a free throw made. Jenkins dropped a pair of free throws and McHugh’s final effort fell short in the 67-61 contest.
Gonzaga’s Jenkins led all scorers with 24 points, Ireton’s Moseh led the Cardinals with 20. The Eagles’ Hines had 9, Blackmon 8, while the Cardinals’ McHugh added 11, Noe chipped in 8. The game was tight, as the statistics reveal. Both squads made 5 3-pointers, each was 16-20 from the charity stripe. Gonzaga had 18 2-point field goals, while the Cardinals, with a higher shooting percentage, made but 15. The difference was the 18-6 advantage in offensive rebounds by the Eagles.
For the visiting DC school, the win improved Gonzaga’s record to 22-3, a perfect 15-0 in the WCAC. Ireton dropped to 14-12, 5-11 in league play with a pair of road games to end the regular season. The Cardinals visit Bishop McNamara Tuesday before the season-ending contest with rival Bishop O’Connell in Arlington Friday. The Cardinals have a shot at the WCAC tourney number 7 seed, but an 8 seed would earn a likely date at home with St Mary’s Ryken, the winner to face the top seed at Galludet. Gonzaga as a 2-game lead with two to play to sew up the top seed.
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