(CHAMBERSBURG, Pa.) – There was plenty to celebrate as No. 8 Wilson defeated No. 9 Saint Elizabeth in the United East Championship first round on Wednesday night. The Phoenix overcame an eight-point halftime deficit to down the Eagles in the rubber match between the two after they split the regular season meetings with each team winning on the road.
On top of that,
Gary Robertson (Gr., Washington, D.C. / Potomac) became the fourth player to join Wilson's 1,000 point club, joining
Darryl Garib, Keion Adams, and Rashaan Bean. Robertson had scored his 1,000th career point earlier this season with 238 scored during his time at Bryant & Stratton in Wisconsin.
It was the typical battle between the two teams' fans have grown accustomed to. The back--and-forth action didn't see either team lead by more than eight with the bulk of the contest being a two-possession game. In the end the Phoenix were able to pull away in the closing moments.
The Basics
Score: No. 8 Wilson 76, No. 9 Saint Elizabeth 70
Venue: Gannett Memorial Field House
Records: Wilson 12-14, Saint Elizabeth 10-16
How It Happened
- The feel of playoff basketball was apparent from the tip with both closely matched teams going point for point. It took nearly eight minutes before either team could take a two-possession lead which came by way of a Cam'Ron Martel layup that made the score 18-14 with 12:10 left before halftime. It sparked a mini 9-3 run that put the Eagles up 24-17 before Nirobi Peeler Jr. (Jr., Largo, Fla. / Clearwater) drained a triple for the Phoenix. Wilson was able to tie the game at 26 and again at 30, but St. E's was able to close the half on a 10-2 run.
- Long range shots helped the Phoenix live up to their nickname and rise from the ashes and set the field house proverbially on fire. Jalen Pierce (Jr., Richmond, Va. / Collegiate) started the trend with a 3-pointer on the first possession of the second half. After a Martel jumper in the paint, Trey Keys (Sr., Columbia, Md. / Wilde Lake) connected on back-to-back treys on dishes from Robertson to make the score 42-41 and force the visitors to call a timeout. While Tye-Rell Monroe swished a 3-pointer of his own, momentum stayed on the Wilson side as the Phoenix eventually took the lead after a Robertson layup fused with an and-one free throw.
- The 3-point contest continued with Keys and Jones (Jr., Chicago, Ill. / Christ The King / Bryant & Stratton) going scoring from downtown to answer triples by St. E's Joseph Mazzola and Edwim Mercado. A Robertson layup in the middle of the frame put the Phoenix back up by one. They remained in front the rest of the way. The Eagles stayed close, but a Pierce 3-pointer gave Wilson its largest lead at 70-64 with 2:48 left in the game. Saint Elizabeth was able to cut the deficit down to two with eight seconds left, but Jones, Peeler Jr., and Keys all made both free throws at the foul line to seal the win.
Inside The Numbers
- Peeler Jr. led all players with 19 points. Nine of them were behind the arc with three 3-pointers.
- Jones was a force on the glass once again with 16 points and 17 rebounds. It gave him his 10th double-double on the season. In doing so he also became the program's single season rebound record holder with 267.
- Robertson and Keys each finished with 15. Robertson was 5-for-9 from the field with six assists and five rebounds. Keys was 4-for-8 overall and 3-for-5 from distance.
- Monroe and Martel led the Eagles with 18 points each. Martel added a double-double of his own with 10 caroms.
Up Next
The Phoenix will now get a crack at upending top seed Bryn Athyn who they'll play this Saturday.
