Third team, all Conference Dan Noe led Ireton with 11 points, many inside against a physical Cadet defense.
They gave no quarter and they asked for none as Bishop Ireton battled favored St Johns (20-9, 11-7) for four quarters before the Cadets finished the game on an 11-4 run to win 56-44 at American University’s Bender Arena Sunday. The setback ended the Cardinals’ impressive run in the Conference tourney as the 8th seed appearing in its first final 4.
“I’m very proud of our team.” commented a disappointed Neil Berkman. “They played hard, they played a good game. St Johns is a very good team. This is a great league.” The Cadets advance to face Bishop O’Connell Tuesday night in the championship after the Knights escaped with a one-point double overtime win over PVI in the nightcap.
Dan Noe led Ireton offensively with 11 points, Taylor McHugh had 10. Louie Khouri and Patrick Moseh each scored 7 and Ty Quarles added 5 in the loss. Da’von Wiley had the Cardinals remaining 4 points for the day. St Johns was led by first team, all conference player, Tre Campbell with 15, second teamer, Darian Bryant had 13, and first team performer Darian Anderson added 9.
The Cardinals carried a one point lead into the second quarter when Noe drained a jumper to end the period, 11-10. The game stayed tight throughout the second act as St Johns, playing a relentless defense, bulled to a 25-22 advantage at the halfway point. A Darian Bryant three late in the third quarter gave St Johns a 35-28 bulge, but Moseh responded with a three of his own, Wiley converted a layup and Ireton had again closed the margin to 35-33. The Cadets James Mitchell scored his only field goal of the game to close the third quarter and send the 4th seeded St John’s into the final period with a 37-33 advantage.
A Louie Khouri bucket pulled Ireton to within 45-41 in the 4th period, but a pair of Mitchell free throws, a Bryant basket, and a pair of Anderson free throws began to widen the lead and the desperate Cardinals found the clock as big an adversary as the pressure St Johns applied to every shot with a 50-41 margin. The parade of white-jerseyed Cadets to the charity stripe piled up the lead and Ireton couldn’t “buy a basket” down the stretch until Khouri banked in a three in the game’s final moments for a 56-44 final.
The loss sends Bishop Ireton (17-14, 6-12) home to host a first round VISAA playoff game with the Potomac Panthers on Tuesday as the state’s 5th seeded team. Tipoff Tuesday is 6pm. Potomac School gave Ireton all they could handle in December, leading the Cardinals by 11 at intermission and only a furious second half rally allowed the Cardinals to escape with a 49-47 win. It will be the final home appearance for seniors Louie Khouri, Da’von Wiley, and Richie Kamtchoum. The winner gets Benedictine in Richmond on Wednesday. Admission for the VISAA playoff game is $5/person, school-age and above. No season passes or booster complimentary tickets are valid for this state-sponsored contest.
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