Short-handed IC pounces on Driscoll
Appearances can be deceiving.
It appeared Immaculate Conception, its big guns Matt Purdom and Antonio Taylor on a football recruiting visit to Delaware, might struggle on Driscoll's basketball court.
The Knights' play in Friday's Suburban Catholic Conference game said different. IC (6-2, 2-1) gave up size but nothing else in a 49-39 win in Addison. It was IC's first varsity win over Driscoll since the 2002-03 season, coach Darren Howard's second win over the Highlanders in nine seasons.
IC started three juniors and a sophomore around senior center Joe Burke, but two years of underclass success cut the jitters.
"Beating them by 20 last year really gave us a big confidence boost," said junior point guard Michael Randick, who tied Driscoll's Steven Schwabe for game honors with 12 points.
Driscoll (3-3, 1-2) fields 6-foot-7 Matt Kaban and 6-5 Austin Baker. IC had honed a triangle-and-2 defense all week just for them. Kaban had 13 rebounds, 4 blocks and 2 steals but was held to 6 points. Baker scored 4.
Unable to connect inside, Driscoll would chuck one of its 19 turnovers or miss a long shot. The Highlanders were 4 of 21 from 3-point range, 13 of 42 overall from the field.
"They sagged off and they dared us to shoot and we laid an egg," said Driscoll coach Adam Szyszko, who had warned his club about lethargy without Purdom and Taylor around.
"We just kind of came out flat, should have gotten the ball inside more. Our perimeter shooting was bad," said Driscoll guard Joey Calabrese, who scored 8.
Gritty Dan Muisenga and energetic sophomore Demitrius Mobley helped IC lead 13-10 after a quarter and 22-16 at the half.
Kevin Nutley's second 3-point basket put IC up 27-18 early in the third quarter, but a Schwabe 3 at 2:05 of the third had Driscoll ahead, 31-29, its first lead since 10-9.
Randick drove to convert a three-point play and scored again inside. Mobley did the same to regain a 36-31 lead entering the fourth quarter.
"In those kind of situations," Randick said, "that's what you've got to do."
Howard's been there before only to see Driscoll pull off a the win. Off-glass with 5:34 left, Kaban had the Highlanders within 38-37, but Mobley and Randick led an 11-2 run to end the game. Mobley finished with 10 points.
"They've beaten Driscoll, so to them this wasn't something new," Howard said of his youngsters. "They weren't afraid to come here and play."