BOYS' BASKETBALL: Paul VI nets confidence booster
PENNSAUKEN - It’s been a bit of a frustrating season for the Paul VI High School boys’ basketball team.
The Eagles have found themselves in a host of games, but down the stretch they haven’t been able to put them away. A two-point loss here, five there.
That was not the case in Saturday’s matchup with Woodbury in the Tri-State Showcase at Bishop Eustace Prep.
With Voshon Mack scoring 10 of his team-high 20 points in the fourth quarter, Paul VI held on down the stretch and came away with a 65-62 victory.
“It feels really good knowing that we’ve been struggling this whole year winning in the clutch,” said Mack, who scored 16 points in the second half. “We executed well on offense and defended well down the stretch.
“This is great for our confidence.”
Keenan Wise made four 3-pointers en route to 18 points for the winners. Lonnie Moore added 17 to go along with five rebounds. The win is just their third in the last nine games.
“This means a lot,” Moore said. “In the beginning of the season we had a couple of games like this and were able to win them. Then we went on a stretch where we just couldn’t finish games. This is a confidence builder.
“It was the energy, the confidence that everyone had. No one ever gave up. When that comes, that’s a key for success.”
“We didn’t make mistakes down the stretch, and it also helps when you hit that 3-ball,” Paul VI coach Tony Devlin said.
“It’s about winning games, getting a little respect back and confidence going into the playoffs. They have not given up. You would expect them to maybe throw in the towel.”
Darius Triplett led all scorers with 22 points to go along with 15 rebounds for Woodbury (13-5), which had its six-game winning streak snapped. Ja’Zere Noel added 20 points, 16 rebounds and five assists.
“These are the games you want going into the playoffs,” Woodbury coach Justin Barringer said. “You want adversity, you want to be in pressure situations. That’s preparation for the playoffs.
“We learn something every game. This was another beast. We’re going to look at it and be better as a result of it.”
Paul VI led 35-29 at halftime and took a 48-47 lead into the final quarter. Woodbury tied things at 58-58 on a pair of Triplett foul shots with four minutes remaining but the Eagles didn’t rattle.
Mack scored on a beautiful feed from Moore to retake the lead and Wise followed with a 3-pointer for a 63-58 advantage. The Herd would get no closer than three over the final three minutes.
“I felt I needed to step up and make some plays,” Mack said of his fourth-quarter blitz. “My teammates did a good job of finding me.”
Paul VI had just two turnovers in the fourth quarter.
“It’s been kind of hard,” Moore said. “Our record doesn’t indicate how good we are as a team. We’ve been able to stay right there with good teams and at the end we lose by two, three points.
“To get the ‘W’ the way it came down to the end today means a lot for the team.”
Kevin Minnick; (856) 486-2424; kminnick@gannettnj.com
PAUL VI 65
WOODBURY 62
Big fourth: Paul VI senior Voshon Mack scored 10 of his team-high 20 points in the decisive fourth quarter.
Double trouble: Darius Triplett and Ja’Zere Noel combined for 42 points and 31 rebounds for Woodbury.
Well said: “It’s been very frustrating, considering we’ve lost some very close games.” – Voshon Mack on Paul VI’s season.