Knights Use Late Run to Get by Paradise Honors
Surprise - The Saint Mary’s boys basketball team went on a 10-0 run in the final 3:30 to seal the win against 4A second-ranked Paradise Honors, 63-61. This was the season opener for the Knights as they battled a sold out, energized crowd that was 85% Panther fans. “I thought our players showed tremendous toughness tonight,” stated head coach Damin Lopez, “for this to be our season opener, their 6th game, and battle the elements of the crowd tonight and still come away with a win speaks volumes about this team and their ability to win games.” The win was the 33rd straight regular season win against 4A competition for the Knights dating back to their last loss against Shadow Mountain in January of 2019.
A three-point basket by Paradise Honors with 3:33 left in the game put the Panthers up 61 to 53. After a strong, help side defensive play from Jacob Estrella, Styles Phipps scooped up a loose ball and went coast to coast for a layup that gave the Knights a second wind.
The Knights proceeded to get another defensive stop, then worked the ball inside to Jeremiah Cherry where he was fouled. Despite hearing chants from the crowd of being ‘overrated,’ Cherry sank both free throws to cut the lead to 61-57.
After two Panther timeouts, the Knights applied superior pressure on the inbounds that resulted in a turnover for the Panthers. While trying to throw the ball back court, Phipps beat his man to the ball for a steal and scored on a lay up to cut the lead to 2. On the ensuing inbounds, Phipps then got another steal and finished quickly on a reverse layup to tie the game at 61 with 1:10 remaining.
The Panthers tried to strike back with a quick in bound and full length of the floor pass, but the Knights tipped the ball out of bounds. On the baseline out of bounds play, the Panthers took a quick three-point shot that came off the rim, rebounded by Seydou Tamboura with :57 seconds left to play.
The Knights held the ball for the last shot, and after a time out with :14 seconds, Phipps took a three-point shot that came up short, only to have the wiry Garrison Phelps scoop the ball up and finish on a reverse layup with 1.7 seconds remaining. “I saw Styles shoot and when he did I crashed hard for a second chance,” said Phelps, “and as I did, I fortunate to get a good read, be there for the catch and finish.”
Phelps finished the night with 22 points, but it was his attacking to the rim that seem to provide the Knights with very big buckets when it seemed at time Paradise Honors would close things down. “You can see the improvement with Garrison, he has become more assertive offensively and is attacking more at the rim,” said Lopez. Phelps had two consecutive drives early in the 4th that ended in emphatic dunks, including one where he was fouled, and making the free throw for a critical three-point play.
Phipps led the Knights with 23 points and his pressure defensively particularly in the closing moments was critical for the Knights. “Styles is a winner, he makes plays when the moment calls for it,” said Lopez. Phipps finished with 5 steals and 7 assists.
Cherry had a solid game for the Knights as he tallied 12 points and 8 rebounds while Tamboura finished with 4 points, 9 boards and 2 blocks.
The Knights will face their Catholic rival, Brophy, in the Hoophall West event on Wednesday the 8th at Chaparral High School. Tickets for that game can be purchased HERE and the game will be live streamed at 7:30 pm here at FloHoops.
