WILMINGTON – St. Elizabeth staged a third-quarter comeback and hung tough through most of the fourth, but St. Frances Academy (Md) pulled away in the final minutes of a 70-59 decision on Dec. 14 at the D1 Showcase at Salesianum School.
The Vikings scored the first four points, all from Kiyen Alexander. He began with two free throws, awarded after a technical foul was called on St. Frances for dunking during the pregame warmup. St. E’s took the first possession, and Alexander connected on a slick runner for the 4-0 lead.
St. Frances scored the next eight, however, getting on the board with an old-fashioned three-point play by center Cameron Fleming and taking the lead on a Kamauri Lawson triple. Masen Price scored to end an 8-0 St. Frances run, and the Vikings came back to tie the game at 13. St. Frances led by four after a quarter.
The entry of Kenneth Hunter Jr. into the game in the second quarter provided a spark for the Vikings. He scored six of St. Elizabeth’s first eight points of the quarter as they bounced back to tie the game at 21, but St. Frances bigs Fleming and Trent Egbiremolen were a problem all day. Their scoring and rebounding helped the visitors to a 32-25 lead, although DeShaun Holden scored on a follow shot at the buzzer to pull the Vikings within five at the break.
St. Elizabeth’s defense allowed the Vikings to pull to within one at 32-31 on an Alexander hoop, but St. Frances scored 10 of the next 12 points. Hunter played a big role in the Vikings’ resurgence after that. He hit a three-pointer, followed by another field goal. Hunter then collected a steal and fed Myon Dale, who scored on an offensive rebound of his own miss. A few plays later, Hunter had a steal and fed Alexander, who made one of two free throws with 1.9 seconds left in the third to cap a 7-0 Vikings run. They trailed, 49-47, after three.
Buckets by Hunter and Steven Nixon Jr. put St. E’s in front early in the fourth, but St. Frances responded. The visitors led, 55-54, when Jasiah Cannady hit a three-point shot. Fleming was next with an offensive rebound and dunk. The Vikings struggled from the field, and St. Frances was able to put distance between itself and St. Elizabeth.
Unofficially, Fleming had 23 to lead St. Frances.
For the Vikings, Hunter had 23 points, Nixon had 11 and Alexander 10. St. Elizabeth (1-1) hosts St. Georges Tech in their home opener on Dec. 19 at 6:45 p.m.
Photos by Jason Winchell.
