NEWARK – St. Elizabeth fell into a nine-point hole after the first quarter, and despite getting close a few times over the course of the rest of the game, the Vikings could not overcome Sanford in a 54-48 loss in a DIAA boys basketball semifinal on March 7 at the Bob Carpenter Center.
Sanford, the sixth seed, won the tip and took the lead on a three-pointer by DJ Jones. After a Vikings miss, Khareem Hart hit from distance, and after a Jones layup, the Warriors had an 8-0 lead two and a half minutes in. The No. 2 Vikings scored the next five points, but in a pattern that would repeat itself all evening, Sanford would answer. The Warriors led, 15-8, after one.
The Vikings settled down and had the better of the play in a defensive-minded second quarter. Steven Nixon Jr. and Kenny Hunter Jr. both scored in close to once again cut the deficit to three, and the Vikings clamped down defensively after Sanford shot 60 percent from the field in the first. They held the Warriors to one field goal in seven attempts and went into the locker room trailing by three.
Taylor, headed next year to the University of Delaware, opened the second-half scoring with a dunk as the Warriors maintained a small lead. That grew to double digits later in the third after a 7-2 Sanford run that finished with a Taylor field goal. Caden Harris had a pair of threes down the stretch in the third to get St. Elizabeth within six heading into the fourth.
After the Vikings cut it to four, Sanford again went on a run, taking a 43-34 lead with six minutes remaining. The advantage reached 11, the biggest of the game, with 1:40 to go after another Taylor dunk. St. E’s, with their vocal supporters behind them, rallied, but the Warriors advanced to Sunday afternoon’s championship game, where they will face the top seed and defending champion, Dover.
Taylor finished with 21 points, 11 rebounds and four blocked shots. Hart had 14 points. Sanford improved to 18-4.
For the Vikings, Hunter led the way with 16 points and eight rebounds, while Nixon added 15 points and six steals. St. Elizabeth finished 18-5.
Photos by Mike Lang.
