TOMS RIVER – Entering Saturday’s NJSIAA Non-Public A basketball title game with state power Pope John XXIII (Sparta), Christian Brothers Academy senior Jack Laffey thought that it would be a difficult task to win its first state title since 1995.
The Lions, with an awesome front line of line of 6-9, 6-8 and 6-6, including Syracuse-bound Moustapha Diagne, put on a clinic in every phase of the game in rolling past the Colts, 71-35, before a capacity crowd at the Pine Belt Arena.
“They were a lot bigger and tougher than I thought that they would be,” said Laffey, who was held to just seven points after scoring 38 in CBA’s 83-76 South Jersey Non-Public A title game victory over St. Augustine (Richland) earlier in the week. “I thought that we would be able to control the game a bit better, but they were always in your face and just got the better of us.”
The Lions used an effective pressing defense that forced 15 CBA turnovers and a 2-3 zone that held the Colts to just 14 of 47 from the floor and only a trio of three-pointers. CBA made 15 from the three-point line in the St. Augustine game. Pope John also had a 41-22 rebound advantage.
“They had depth and made shots that we didn’t think that they would make,” said CBA junior Pat Andree, who led CBA with 14 hard-earned points. “They played well as a team.
The Lions were in in control from the start and scored the first six points of the game.
Laffey broke the streak with a three-point play, but Pope John scored the next 15 points including six by 6-8 Jeremy Rodriguez, to open it up to 21-3.
“We thought that we would be able to get open shots for our guys,” said CBA coach Geoff Billet, who played on CBA’s last state championship team in 1995, “but they took us out of everything we wanted to do. Our game plan went out the window.”
By the end of the half, Pope John was up 33-11 and extended their lead to 39 points in the final quarter before the reserves took over.
“It was hard to account for how big they were,” said Billet, “They hurt us on the boards with 14 offensive rebounds and there was not much we could do.”
Despite the loss, and a 50-24 setback to Rumson-Fair Haven Regional in the Shore Conference championship game, Billet was happy with the season in which CBA won the A Division North title and went 24-6.
“To make the Shore Conference finals back-to-back and winning a sectional title was a great way to go out,” said Billet. “We put CBA back on the map and that is good for our program.”
The outlook is also promising with three returning starters including Andree, a 6-7 junior who led the team in scoring and rebounding.
“We think that we’ll be back in the Shore Conference and sectional finals again next year,” said Billet. “I’m walking out here today with my head held high.”
–By Jim Hintelmann
