Home Local Sports Salesianum basketball gets back to game action with win over Dickinson

Salesianum basketball gets back to game action with win over Dickinson

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Ethan Hinds scores on a reverse just before the clock expires in the first half. Dialog photo/Mike Lang

WILMNGTON — Salesianum’s basketball team hadn’t played since Jan. 21 when Dickinson walked into the Father John Birkenheuer, OSFS, Gymnasium on Feb. 4 for a nonconference matchup. The Sals shook off the rust, opening up a 12-point halftime lead on the way to a 57-35 victory.

Shots weren’t falling for either team, but the Sals eventually put some points on the board. Sam Walsh hit a three-pointer from the corner with 3:03 left in the quarter to put the hosts up, 9-4, and Justin Molen picked up consecutive layups a few minutes later — the second coming when he stole an inbounds pass after the first — to extend the lead to 13-5, prompting a timeout by the Rams.

Molen struck with his only three-pointer of the night two and a half minutes into the second, and Rasheen Caulk entered the scoring column after a missed Dickinson shot 25 seconds later as Salesianum doubled its lead to 10 points. Sallies’ commanding advantage in both offensive and defensive rebounds gave them many second- and third-chance opportunities, and both Jackson Conkey and Ethan Hinds benefited from that. Hinds hit a reverse layup on a feed from Molen with a second left in the half to give the Sals a 31-19 lead heading into the break.

The scoring cooled off in the second half, which was beset by fouls on both teams. The Sals and Rams were limited to three field goals each, although Salesianum added another six points on free throws. They added eight more from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter to keep Dickinson from mounting a comeback.

Molen finished with 16, and Hinds had 13 for Salesianum, who improved to 3-1. The Sals have a stiff test in their next game, which will be Saturday at 8 p.m. against Sanford at the 76ers Fieldhouse. The game is part of the SL24 Memorial Classic.

Final statistics for the Rams were not available late Thursday night. Dickinson lost for the first time after four wins. The Rams travel to Tatnall on Saturday at 11 a.m.

All photos by Mike Lang.