VARSITY HORSEMEN COME FROM BEHIND

It was an exciting game. The St. Helena varsity Horsemen came back from an eight point deficit to take the Catholic Basketball League Tip Off Tournament Championship 49-41 against Our Lady of the Assumption on Monday evening in the St. Helena gym. Francisco Mattei put up a game-high 23 points, more than the top two Assumption scorers combined. Our Lady of the Assumption used their height advantage well in the first half. While the Horsemen took a quick start with an early 3-0 lead off a Mattei tip intercept, Assumption came back and led 5-10 at the quarter. However, the Horsemen slowly fought back and tied the game 17-17 in the second quarter, but Assumption pulled out and put up eight quick points and led 17-25 at the half. But, as in any good horserace the Horsemen once again fought back until they finally tied the game 29-29 with two minutes to go in the quarter, and then……. charge; It was full steam ahead, and the Horsemen never looked back, jumping out to a 36-29 lead by the end of the third quarter just after a Matthew Manning three-point buzzer beater, and they then finished the game 49-41, having the same lead at game’s end they were behind at the half. Mattei was the only player from either team who scored in all four quarters, with seven twos and shooting nine for twelve from the free throw line. Manning also scored in double digits, with two twos and two threes for 10 points. Matthew Rodrigues scored six points in the second half, and Sammy Lugo put up two twos in the fourth quarter, as did Jordan Providence. Dylan Carrasquillo also had a fourth quarter bucket. The Horsemen hit 9/17 from the free throw line. Eighth graders Ethan Butler and Malike Diallo both had 11 points for Assumption, which was 7/10 from the free throw line. Congratulations and three bales of hay to the Horsemen for taking the Tip Off Tournament.