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Poor-shooting Cavs lose in Ohio tournament, 48-45 From Staff Reports Originally published January 20, 2003 DAYTON, Ohio - Despite 19 points and 12 rebounds by Rudy Gay, No. 5 Archbishop Spalding dropped a 48-45 decision to Our Savior America High School (N.Y.) last night in the semifinals of the Flyin' to the Hoop National Holiday Invitational. Gay, a 6-foot-7 junior forward, also had two blocks and two steals on a poor shooting night for the Cavaliers (18-4). "We only shot 34 percent from the floor and didn't make the baskets when we needed to make them," said Spalding coach Mike Glick. "Overall, though, we did not play that bad." Will Bowers and Gus Durr had eight points each for the Cavaliers. Spalding will play in the third-place game tonight against Heritage Christian of Houston. Copyright © 2003, The Baltimore Sun
No. 5 Cavaliers beat team from Montreal; By Pat O'Malley Sun Staff Originally published January 19, 2003 Will Bowers scored a season-high 22 points to pace No. 5 Archbishop Spalding to a 61-57 victory over Champlain St. Lambert of Montreal in the opening round of the First Flyin' to the Hoop National Holiday Invitational Tournament in Dayton, Ohio, yesterday. Bowers, the Cavaliers' 7-foot center who is headed to the University of Maryland, also had seven rebounds and three blocked shots. "The difference in the game was the second period when we outscored them 22-9 and had an 11-0 run to end the first half," said Spalding coach Mike Glick, whose team also had a 19-for-27 advantage from the foul line. St. Lambert (15-3) was 6-for-10 . "Having an eight-point lead [32-24] to start the second half meant a lot," Glick said. Spalding (13-3) plays 6:15 tonight vs. Our Savior America of New York in the national bracket of the tournament. Spalding junior forward Rudy Gay scored 17 points, matched Bowers in rebounds and blocks, and also had five steals.
Maryland-bound center scores 13; Spalding hands Eagles 1st league loss, 57-48 By Pat O'Malley Sun Staff Originally published January 11, 2003 Archbishop Spalding coach Mike Glick lit a fire under Will Bowers and the 7-footer took care of the inside while sharpshooter Tim Brackney lit up the outside as the host Cavaliers dealt McDonogh its first league loss, 57-48, in Severn last night. Bowers didn't start for the first time since his sophomore year. "It was a wakeup call because I've been playing bad lately and my coach hasn't liked my attitude," he said. Bowers scored a team-high 13 points off the bench, had eight rebounds and three blocks. Brackney hit three three-pointers and had 12 points and Jesse Brooks chipped in 11. No. 9 McDonogh (12-2) was led by Mike Popoko's 16 points, but never got in sync offensively and was out-rebounded 24-14. "We were a little bit impatient," said McDonogh coach Matt MacMullan. "We were behind most of the game and I think our kids tried to force the tempo." The Eagles fell to 5-1 in the combined Baltimore Catholic League and Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference, leaving fifth-ranked St. Frances (11-1, 3-0) as the league's only unbeaten team. With the win, No. 5 Spalding (11-3) is tied for third at 5-2. Bowers learned Thursday that he wasn't going to start and responded with a big first half, scoring 12 points. "Yeah, I really felt I had something to prove," said Bowers, who sat the first five minutes. Spalding's three-guard offense of Brooks, Brackney and Matt Latonick was very effective in thwarting McDonogh's comeback after the Cavaliers jumped out to a 32-21 halftime lead. The Eagles got within three points twice late in the third period. But Rudy Gay from the corner, Gus Durr inside and a Brackney three pushed the Cavaliers' lead back up to 51-39 early in the final period. In the second half, Bowers, who is headed to Maryland on a scholarship, scored only one point from the foul line, but despite four fouls grabbed five of his eight rebounds. "We tried to send a message to Will and he responded like a man," Glick said. "We're trying to get Will ready to play at Maryland and at that level you have to be ready to play every time you step on the court." Copyright © 2003, The Baltimore Sun
Seven-footer scores 13 off the bench to key 57-48 victory 01/11/2003 It was the marquee match-up on last night’s MIAA schedule, but at the outset the A Conference showdown between #5 Archbishop Spalding and #9 McDonogh was missing one of its biggest stars. In a effort to send a message to his struggling center, Spalding head coach Mike Glick did not start 7’-0” Will Bowers, who his headed to the University of Maryland on a basketball scholarship, for a second consecutive game and the big guy got the message loud and clear. Bowers came off the bench to score 13-points, grab eight-rebounds and block three shots to lead the Cavaliers to an important, 57-48, win over the visiting Eagles. Despite Bowers early absence, Spalding (11-3, 4-2 in the A Conference) got out of the gate fast with an effective three-guard attack. Then Bowers, who entered the contest five-minutes in, hit the court with vengeance, scoring 12-points before intermission to help Spalding forge a 32-21 halftime lead. In the third quarter, McDonogh (12-2, 4-1) battled to within three on two different occasions, but the Cavs responded each time with some clutch outside shooting. Guards Tim Brackney, who hit three three-pointers, and Jesse Brooks led this effort with 11-points each. Another key for Spalding was its domination on the glass, as it out-rebeounded McDonogh, 24-14. McDonogh’s Mike Popoko led all scorers with 16-points.
Eight three-pointers from Gibbons are not enough to erase early deficit 01/04/2003 In a switch from the usual low-scoring defensive battles played in the MIAA A Conference, #4 Archbishop Spalding held back a late rally by #14 Cardinal Gibbons, in an up-tempo offensive battle, to a claim an 84-80 victory, last night at Gibbons. Jesse Brooks, a junior point guard, had a huge game for the Cavaliers, scoring 20-points, including nine in the final two minutes to hold off the Gibbons charge, and dishing out 10 assists. Fellow junior Rudy Gay also had another big night for Spalding, scoring a game-high 21-points. In many respects this was a tale of two completely different games. Spalding dominated for much of the first half and built a commanding 39-17 lead with less than three minutes remaining in the second quarter. Gibbons, however, ignited at this point and went on a 12-3 run to close the half, shaving the Spalding lead to 42-29. In the second half, the Crusader offense continued to fire on all cylinders, shooting 55-percent from the field and putting up 51-points, as five players reached double figures in scoring. Spalding (9-2, 2-1 in the A Conference) also continue to score at a higher than normal rate, but its lead gradually shrunk as the Crusaders, who sank eight three-point field goals, kept coming in waves. In the frantic final two minutes, Brooks single-handedly held off the final Gibbons charge, but not before the Crusaders had pulled within 82-80 with just three-seconds left in the game. From there, Tim Brackney converted two free-throw attempts to finally seal the win for the Cavaliers. Glenn Nelson, who came off the bench, and Brett Foelber led the Gibbons scoring attack with 15-points each. Adding to the fire-power were Brahn Jenkins, 13-points, and Leo Williams and Pat Grace, who scored 12-points each. Spalding, which finished second at the prestigious Slam Dunk to the Beach Tournament in Lewes, Delaware last weekend, got off to great start behind the play of 7’-0” center Will Bowers. Bowers scored 11-points and blocked six shots, as the Cavaliers built a 22-point lead in the first half. However, as was the case in Spalding’s loss two weeks ago at Mount St. Joseph, Bowers missed much of the second half with foul trouble and eventually fouled out with just 1:23 remaining in the contest. Both squads now move on to difficult road encounters tomorrow in a conference that appears to be growing deeper by the week. Spalding will be at #7 St. Frances, which now shares the league lead with McDonogh (both are 2-0 in the conference) and Gibbons (8-4, 1-3) will travel to McDonogh to face the #9 Eagles. The Spalding-St. Frances game tips at 3:00 pm and the Gibbons-McDonogh contest will get underway at 3:30 pm.