PENNY HILL — St. Elizabeth began its boys basketball season with a new coach and virtually an entirely new roster on Dec. 3 at Mount Pleasant, but there was a familiar feeling for the Vikings when all was said and done. Jaiden Rajis scored 19 points, including seven in overtime, as St. Elizabeth defeated the Green Knights, 52-45.
Rajis and his brother, Levi, were on the varsity roster last year, as were Carmile Frederique and Michael Jones, but the rest of the players are new to the program. It was also the debut of John O’Connor as head coach, although he had been an assistant for several years before this one.
The Vikings were hot from distance early, getting first-quarter threes from Ashie Lewis, Nafir Salters and Keyland Fedrick, and they led the Green Knights, 13-10, after a quarter.
Mount took advantage of second chances in the second quarter to stay close. Salters scored in transition late in the half to get the lead to 24-19 for the Vikings, but Braden Hines hit a three-pointer in the closing seconds to cut the St. E’s lead to a pair at the break.
The Vikings had to overcome some foul trouble, as Jones picked up his third early in the second half. Jaiden Rajis also had three fouls, but he provided the bulk of the Vikings’ offense in the third, scoring eight of the team’s 11 points. Graham Serpico scored on a bank-shot three with about 10 seconds left in the quarter, only to see Walker drain a buzzer-beating triple to extend the St. Elizabeth lead to 35-29 heading into the fourth.
Hines opened the scoring with a three-pointer, cutting the Vikings’ lead in half, and Steve Washington tied the score with three free throws with 6:30 to go. St. Elizabeth could not get anything going offensively. Jones did hit a corner field goal that bounced off the rim three times, putting St. E’s back on top, only to see Mount tie the score again. The only other scoring in the fourth for the Vikings were single free throws, the second one coming with 48 seconds on the clock to give them a 39-37 lead. Jayden Bowers tied the score with 21 seconds to go, and that sent the game to an extra session.
Jaiden Rajis helped the Vikings take control in overtime. He followed a missed shot to begin the scoring, then went coast to coast after Salters blocked a shot. After another blocked shot, Levi Rajis scored in transition, and Walker hit a short jumper after taking a bump. The lead was eight less than two minutes into the four-minute OT. Jaiden Rajis made three of four free throws down the stretch.
Walker finished with nine points for the Vikings, and Levi Rajis had eight. St Elizabeth (1-0) begins a three-game homestand on Dec. 9 against Odessa. Tip-off is at 6:30 p.m.
Hines led the Green Knights (0-1) with 18. Bowers added 12. Mount hosts Sanford on Friday at 3:30 p.m.
Photos by Mike Lang.
