SAN JOSE – Most basketball teams can be lucky to have one player. With Archbishop #1 Riordan, it's almost easier to find out who isn't dangerous.
Wing Jasir Rencher? He is an issue. Guard Andrew Hilman? Headache. Paired with a deep bench and a towering center combo of 6-foot-10 Nes Emeneke and 6-foot-9 JP Pihtovs, the Crusaders can steamroll almost any opponent.
That's exactly what happened to Bellarmine on Friday night in San Jose. The Bells hosted 10-1 teams in Riordan and trailed by just three points after the primary quarter. But Riordan took a double-digit halftime lead after a 13-0 run, and the Crusaders were just too good to remain in with a 64-38 win.
“It felt good, but it’s what we expect,” Riordan coach Joe Curtin said. “We are playing well. We are deep. We are a nice, cohesive group. We have great chemistry on and off the floor. So if they don't make a real effort right away, I think that's on me. This team is pretty tight and we did pretty well.”
Part of the issue with stopping Riordan (11-1, 2-0 WCAL) is that they arrive at you in waves. Seven players scored at the least six points for the Crusaders, five reached double figures.
“We tell the guys, 'Look, there's no pace on this team,'” Curtin said. “When you're in the game, you're always at 100%. Especially the guys at the end of the bench, we want to get them involved at the end of the game. So it's their responsibility to help their teammates and buddies and take care of business, do what we need to do. And hopefully everyone gets in.”
Bellarmine (10-2, 1-1 WCAL) faced a virtually insurmountable problem attempting to contain Riordan's relentless attack. The Bells had a game plan that they believed could give them a likelihood, but they couldn't put together an ideal game.
“We hung in there, and then their depth caught us at the end,” Bellarmine coach Alex Sarrett said. “Rebounding was a big factor. We emphasized that in the foreplay. The war of attrition there overwhelmed us. But I'm proud of our boys' performance. Some guys stepped forward and took a few shots. We can build on this for the next part of the league season.”
For Riordan, there may be a fortress to construct on. Positionally, the Crusaders lack nothing across the board. This season will ultimately be determined by what their extremely talented team achieves within the CCS and the NorCal Regional Tournament.
On Friday night, they seemed to be the most effective team within the Bay Area.
“It's about guys taking ownership of their roles and accepting that they have to make sacrifices,” Curtin said. “And everyone has to make sacrifices. Even the guys who play the most minutes on the team make sacrifices. They sacrifice shots. They (would) play the entire game on a typical high school team. As they took their seats, they were there for their teammates and cheered them on. When it comes down to it, we are all in this together and the ultimate goal is victory.”
Hilman led the Crusaders with 15 points and Pihtovs contributed 12 off the bench, giving Riordan the spark that helped create separation in the primary half. Rencher contributed a whopping 11 points.
Emeneke added 11 because the Crusaders dominated the post all night.
“Their size is overwhelming at the rim,” Sarrett said. “The problem is that when you miss shots, you have to get the rebounds. I think we did well to stay ahead and make things difficult for them. And then the boards killed us. When they get runouts in transition and we don't score on our end, it's difficult. It’s difficult every time to take the ball out of the net and go on the offensive.”
Bellarmine will proceed constructing WCAL play and try to mold a young team right into a contender within the tough basketball league. Ethan Lyles led the Bells with 14 points, while Will Corbett and Cam Razavi each contributed seven points.
“We have the perspective of even the worst team in the league. If you have a free night, they can put you in your place, you know?” Sarrett said. “That’s why we’re growing as a team and trying to gain the maturity needed to enter these environments and be successful. But we have to play good games.”
For Riordan, the pursuit of championships continues to move forward.
“We stick to the same routine,” Curtin said. “We have a formula. We'll stick with it. And I think that helps. We don't look ahead at all. I tell these guys at the start of the season, we lay out what we want to do and then we just focus on the day and the next opponent.
“As long as we don’t deviate from that, we remain consistent, and that’s what matters. If we stay consistent, they will get going again. You get back on track. That's why we don't really drop too many games. If we ever lose a game, it won't be twice in a row. We’ll get back on track pretty quickly.”
Originally published:
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