WILMINGTON — For the first eight minutes of their game Feb. 3 against Delaware Military Academy, it appeared that the Saint Mark’s boys basketball team appeared headed to an easy victory. But the Seahawks didn’t get the memo, and the Spartans went home with a hard-earned 60-50 victory at the Chase Fieldhouse in the fifth annual SL24 Memorial Classic.
The Spartans led, 5-4, when Jorden Jones hit a three-pointer to extend the lead to four, and DMA turned the ball over on a backcourt violation. Chase Wright took advantage, nailing another three. The Spartans ended the first on a 15-2 run and led by 14.
Back-to-back threes by the Seahawks’ Mason Harding and Antonio Allin cut the lead to eight, but the Spartans got those points back. Another Harding triple, however, spurred a 7-1 run at the end of the half, with Carlos Mackall getting the final points on a driving layup with 2.6 seconds to go. Saint Mark’s lead was eight at the half.
Delaware Military kept the offense coming into the second half. Mackall and Gabriel Swift put five more points on the board, and the Seahawks were within one possession. After Jones picked up the Spartans’ first field goal since midway through the second quarter, Harding hit for three again to make it 31-29 Spartans.
The teams played evenly through the remainder of the third. Chad Dohl and Christian Taylor combined to score Saint Mark’s final 11 points of the third, while Nathan Golden found his way inside for four points late in the frame for DMA.
Taylor played a role in a big hoop for Saint Mark’s at the beginning of the final quarter, grabbing a rebound and passing to Wright, who connected on a three-pointer. The Spartans made DMA pay for an ensuing traveling call when Dohl was successful on a corner three
Wright got the lead back to double digits with 5:17 remaining, picking up a rebound that turned into a nice reverse layup. Jack Kane’s three-pointer late cut the lead to seven, but the Spartans made enough free throws down the stretch to claim the win.
The Spartans (7-8) visit Salesianum on Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. DMA (2-13) is home Tuesday against Hodgson at 6:30 p.m.
All photos by Jason Winchell.
