NEWARK – Archmere fell behind on a three-pointer against Newark Charter in their matinee on Dec. 14, but a strong rest of the first half spurred the Auks to a 52-48 win over the Patriots in Diamond State Athletic Conference play.
The game was tied at 7 when Nicholas Vaughn-Atonsah drained a three, but the Patriots were whistled for a technical foul after the play. Charlie Malloy made one of the technical free throws, and the Auks tied the game on a driving layup. Orsini (St. Thomas the Apostle Parish, Glen Mills, Pa.) gave Archmere the lead the next time down the floor, grabbing a rebound and going the length of the floor and knocking down a shot. The Patriots tied the game with a pair of free throws, and that is how the first quarter ended.
Those, however, would be Newark Charter’s last points for a while. Archmere heated up from the floor in the second, with Orsini connecting on three straight field goals that gave the Auks an 18-12 lead. The Auks consistently outrebounded the Patriots to set up their offense as the quarter unfolded.
A timeout by Newark Charter did not slow down Archmere. Malloy turned another Auks rebound into a three-point shot, and Noah Blessington (St. Mary Magdalen Parish) also connected from behind the arc to push the lead to 12. Blessington’s shot was made possible by the hustle of Riley Schultz, who was able to save the ball from going out of bounds and sent it right to Blessington. The Patriots ended the Auks’ run at 12 points with a free throw with 1:40 left in the half, and they trailed by 11 at the break.
After the Archmere lead grew to 13 early in the third, the momentum changed. Gabriel Park hit a three to begin the comeback. The Patriots gave the Auks fits with their full-court pressure, causing several turnovers. Maurice Wright scored on a reverse along the baseline, absorbing a foul as he shot, and the conventional three-point play ended a 7-0 Patriots run that cut the Auks’ lead to 28-22.
Another run later in the third, this one 5-0, cut the Newark Charter deficit to three with 1:23 left. The Auks rebounded, getting a bucket from Orsini and two Malloy free throws to take a 36-29 lead into the fourth.
The lead was as large as eight during the fourth, the last time when Blaise Bastian-Pastore got behind the full-court pressure and was fouled as he attempted a shot. His free throws made it 46-38. But Cayden Anderson drained a three, and the Patriots continued to fluster the Auks with their defense. Blessington made a free throw to give Archmere a 48-43 lead with 1:22 to go, but Park sank a triple from the top of the key on the next possession, and it was a one-possession game.
A few missed free throws by the Auks gave Newark Charter the opportunity to complete the comeback. Anderson hit two free throws with :21.6 left, and the Archmere lead was a single point. Bastian-Pastore again found room behind the pressure defense, and he was fouled as he attempted a short shot. He made both free throws, and the Patriots missed a three-pointer that would have tied the game. Bastian-Pastore made a free throw in the closing seconds to give the Auks the margin they needed for the win.
Orsini led the Auks with 18 points, while Blessington had 13 and Bastian-Pastore added 9. Archmere (2-0) is off until Jan. 4, when it will host its home opener against Tatnall at noon.
For the Patriots, Damon Saunders had 11, and Park had 10. Newark Charter (0-3) is on the road Dec. 16 at Bohemia Manor (Md.) at 7 p.m.
Photos by Mike Lang.
