Staff reporter
WILMINGTON – Donte DiVincenzo scored 16 points and Nick Perugino added 14 to lift Salesianum to a 41-30 win over Tatnall Tuesday night in boys’ basketball at 18th and Broom streets. The Sals overcame a shaky offensive effort, particularly in the first half, for their third straight win and now stand at 9-2 on the season.
Poor shooting and passing in the first half, coupled with an aggressive man-to-man defense by Tatnall, kept Salesianum to just 18 first-half points. The Hornets, however, had shooting woes of their own, and could muster just four field goals in the half, none for leading scorer Joe Cooper. Cooper, in fact, managed just two shots in the first half and scored only on a single free throw. He did add the evening’s nicest assist on an alley-oop dunk by Monte Taylor that brought Tatnall to within 16-13.
The Sals took a 32-21 lead into the fourth quarter, but the Hornets (3-8) turned up the heat with a full-court press entering the period and went on a 7-0 run to pull within five. After a Perugino free throw, Demetrius Davis scored on a slashing layup to bring Tatnall to within three at 33-30, but they would not score again. DiVincenzo’s final field goal took the lead back to five, and the Sals converted six of eight free-throw attempts in the game’s final few minutes.
Salesianum played without forward Brian O’Neill because of illness.
Ian Cella-Hoffman had eight points to lead the Hornets, while Cooper and Taylor had seven each.
Salesianum, now ranked fifth in the state, plays again Monday at 4:30 p.m. against Church Farm (Pa.) at Concord High School in the second annual Concord Classic. Admission is $7 – $3 for students – and is good for all seven games (although there is no re-entry). The event, in which Delaware teams play opponents from out of state, raises money for Coaches vs. Cancer and begins at 10 a.m.
