Saints take step forward in loss at Neuqua Valley

Usually, a first half that sees a basketball team hold its opponent scoreless for more than seven minutes, force 13 turnovers and allow 34 percent shooting is a recipe for an easy victory.

So, how in the name of Betty Crocker was Neuqua Valley holding a tenuous 2-point lead over visiting St. Charles East less than a minute into the fourth quarter?

Check the list of ingredients: it was an Upstate Eight Conference game.

"It was a typical Upstate Eight game," said Neuqua coach Todd Sutton. "Both teams really have good players, both have talent, both have athletes, both play good offense, both play good defense. It was a close, grind-it-out, physical game."

The Wildcats put their nose to the grindstone in those final seven minutes, however, using a 9-0 run as the impetus for a 71-63 victory in the UEC opener for both teams. Sparking Neuqua in the decisive stretch was guard Rahjan Muhammad, who recorded three baskets and two steals in 90 seconds as the Wildcats (5-0, 1-0) kept the Saints (0-5, 0-1) at bay.

"Rahjan did a good job," Sutton said. "He's very talented going to the basket and he took advantage of the chances he had."

While Muhammad's speed and quickness proved to be the ultimate difference, it was Neuqua's height and bulk inside that got the Wildcats off to a comfortable lead. Kareem Amedu and Dwayne Evans, who both stand 6-foot-5, combined for 14 points, while limiting St. Charles East's 6-foot-7 Kevin Senechalle to 2 points, as the Wildcats sprinted to a 29-15 with four minutes left in the half.

But the Saints would not be deterred as Jeff Jones and Zach Scott scored late baskets to narrow the gap to 31-23 at the half before scores from Zack Burns and Senechalle in the first 48 seconds of the third quarter trimmed the lead to 4.

Senechalle would have 10 points in the third quarter and his basket with 7:12 remaining pulled the Saints within 47-45 before the Wildcats were able to close it out, helped by 14-for-16 free-throw shooting down the stretch.

"With the schedule we've played - Prospect, Proviso East, St. Joe's, East Aurora, these guys - we know we've got to get better and tonight we got better," said Saints coach Brian Clodi. "Turnovers (19) and offensive rebounds (a 15-9 Neuqua advantage), those were the two big differences. I'm proud of the effort, but close doesn't count. Still, the kids battled and we definitely took a step forward."