By Ben Spector
SALISBURY-For both the King’s Christian Academy Eagles and the Worcester Prep Fighting Mallards even if it was a 10 AM tip-off, a time when both teams players might usually be sleeping on a Saturday, there was still a game to be played with a spot in the finals of their bracket to be had so both teams had to wake up in order to compete for a win.
For the Eagles, they awoke just a bit faster than the Fighting Mallards, winning 47-43 over Worcester Prep locking a spot in the finals of Boys Bracket #5 of Session I of the 2015 Governor’s Challenge in Salisbury, Maryland.
Once the Eagles woke up it would be all upwards from there as after a hot 3rd quarter they easily knock off Worcester Prep.
It would be a sleepy start for both teams as during the early-goings of the 1st quarter both King’s Christian and Worcester Prep were both taking lots of shots. Both teams would struggle though putting shots in the net during the 1st quarter as it took both teams a little while to become adjusted.
The question was which team would wake up first and that title fell to the Eagles as with some help from Jaleen Sauls, King’s Christian would take a lead mid-way through the first quarter, one which they would never relinquish.
Sauls was the main offensive weapon for the Eagles as he had 17 including 6 during the first and third quarters helping to open up a lead and put the game out of reach for Worcester Prep early in the 2nd half although the Fighting Mallards would make at a run at the lad late in the few minutes.
After leading at half-time, the Eagles would extend their lead to 14 at the break and had appeared to have put the game out of reach for Worcester Prep as the Fighting Mallards had been stifled by the Eagles defense throughout the game up to that point.
Also as a hindrance to Worcester Prep was that one of their biggest offensive weapons in junior forward Sam Cantello had gotten into serious foul trouble, logging very few minute in each quarter including the 3rd quarter in which he had to be subbed out just two minutes into the 3rd with four fouls.
Cantello would come back late in the 4th quarter for Worcester Prep and with his arrival Worcester Prep would go on a run in the final 4 minutes of the game.
The Fighting Mallards would register a 14-0 run to cut the lead down from 16 to 2 including 5 points by Cantello in a span of 35 seconds.
In the end, the Fighting Mallards couldn’t break down the Eagles in the final possession and the Eagles would sink two free throws late in the game to officially tuck Worcester Prep away for good.
