SALISBURY, Md. – More than six minutes into its game against Potomac (Va.) at the Governors Challenge, Salesianum’s basketball team found itself trailing the Panthers, 15-0. Latrell Wright finally got the Sals on the board with a runner with 1:46 to go in the first, and the Sals would control the game from then on, taking a 60-55 victory on Dec. 29 at Wicomico High School.
Kevin Coleman followed Wright with a corner three-pointer after a Potomac turnover, and Zion Rothwell and Coleman each hit field goals as the Sals concluded the first with a 9-0 run. Coleman continued his hot scoring with the first five of the second, bringing Salesianum’s streak to 14 straight points.
The Sals took their first lead at 20-19 when Kai Abplanalp scored on a driving layup, with Brady Esser getting the assist. They put up 20 second-quarter points, with four three-pointers accounting for 12 of those. Seven different players had points in the quarter, and Salesianum took a 29-26 lead into halftime.
The score remained close throughout the second half. Declan Conley tied the game with a corner three to open the scoring, and Mason Douglas hit his own triple moments later to put the Panthers back on top. Potomac started the half with an 8-0 run until Wright beat the shot clock buzzer for three.
The Panthers’ shooting cooled off after that, and the Sals built their lead to five before the end of the third. Rothwell was key, grabbing several offensive rebounds against the taller Panthers, and he contributed six points off the bench.
Salesianum’s lead was seven after Wright scored on a fast break early in the fourth, but the Panthers were not done. They had been hitting three-pointers all night, but they climbed back into the contest with shorter field goals, tough defense and a pair of free throws. They finally tied the game at 55 on a transition bucket for Conley with 1:48 to go.
Potomac had a chance to take the lead after a steal with just over a minute to go, but their shot missed. The Sals rebounded, and Wright got ahead of the pack for the go-ahead layup with 57 seconds on the clock. Potomac could not make another shot, and the Sals made three of four three throws down the stretch to seal the win.
Wight led the Sals with 16, and Coleman had 15. The Sals connected on eight three-point shots. Salesianum improved to 5-4 and meets Varina (Va.) at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the Wicomico Civic Center.
Douglas led the Panthers with 18, and Anthony Garris added 12.
Photos by Mike Lang.
