STJ-TPS HOOPS: Teams split in final regular season meetings
Jordan McRae shoots over Trinity defenders in Friday’s battle at St. James. (Tim Gayle)
BY TIM GAYLE
As area rivals, St. James and Trinity have always waged fiercely competitive battles in multiple meetings each year.
This year, with Trinity moving up to Class 4A because of Competitive Balance Factor, the two teams will meet just twice, so game planning just wasn’t on either coach’s mind.
Just 16 days after Trinity engineered a 21-point victory over the Trojans, St. James returned the favor with a 52-44 victory to avenge the only blemish on the Trojans’ mark.
“We grew up mentally,” St. James coach Katie Barton said. “We needed that game from Trinity two weeks ago. It taught us a lot, it showed us a lot of our weaknesses. I saw growth from every single girl that stepped on the floor tonight.”
What was particularly impressive in the second meeting was that Trinity’s third-quarter pressure cut the Trojan lead to three points on two occasions, only to watch St. James build the lead back to eight points.
“I thought we would win the game,” Trinity coach Blake Smith said after watching his team cut a double-digit deficit to a one-possession game. “That’s where I would give their team the biggest compliment. They remained poised, they made some big plays. Very few teams at that point in the last couple of years have held us off when we make that type of run. So we’re used to winning. Maybe that’s part of the problem. You can’t be used to it. You still have to go do it.”
Barton’s team did not stand up to the challenge in each of the last two postseason meetings in the regional finals, with Trinity’s defensive pressure helping the Wildcats to a state championship each time. After St. James eased out to a 27-19 halftime lead, the Trojans knew what was coming in the second half.
“They came out in the third and what championship teams do is they go on a run,” Barton said. “I was proud of my girls for stepping up and countering the run.”
The Wildcats struggled to find any offensive rhythm, perhaps because they were on the road, perhaps because of the Trojans’ defense.
“You play better at home,” Smith noted. “I don’t think we turned them over as much, or at least the turnovers didn’t turn into easy baskets. We didn’t shoot the ball as well. They did some things to change some things up, but I still thought we got a lot of good looks.
“But they beat us in here last year. I think if we shoot it like we’re used to shooting, we’re fine. But you’ve got to be able to win when you don’t do that.”
Natalie Barton led the Trojans with 25 points and eight rebounds, putting down Trinity rallies with five 3-pointers. Jordan McRae added 12 points and 10 rebounds, followed by Morgan Lilly with seven points, four rebounds and four assists.
Mya Moskowitz led the Wildcats with 19 points, followed by Maddie Smith with 14 and Francie Morris with six.
“That team, they are the best basketball team I’ve played this year so far,” Barton said. “They are really good. They didn’t graduate anyone from last year, they can shoot lights out and have multiple players who can score. They always give us fits defensively with the way they trap and get after it.
“But we really didn’t scheme. We decided we were going to play St. James’ brand of basketball and we were going to match up with them and go after them defensively with no gimmicks and see what happens.”
Smith had plenty of praise for the Trojans after Friday’s meeting.
“That’s a talented ball team,” he said. “It would be fun to play them again this year.”
Unfortunately, he won’t get that opportunity.
Trinity (8-3) had an eight-game win streak snapped with the loss. The Wildcats will play Providence Christian at home on Saturday afternoon, then play host to Elmore County on Monday.
St. James (10-1) will remain home to play Pike Road on Tuesday before traveling to BTW Magnet on Thursday.
Trinity’s Tillman Clements dribbles past St. James’ DJ McQueen in the battle between two Capital City Conference rivals on Friday. (Tim Gayle)
Trinity boys win
It was hard to tell which team won Friday’s matchup between St. James and Trinity.Trinity coach Matt Arrighi spent much of the game chastising his players for standing around too much, despite leading from start to finish of Friday’s 48-34 victory over the Trojans.
“I just thought for a veteran team, we played extremely undisciplined basketball tonight on both sides of the floor,” Arrighi said. “We made silly fouls with undisciplined reach-ins, we made a lot of off-balances passes. It was just sloppy basketball. But we found a way to win.”
First-year coach Mark Hall, meanwhile, felt his team had shown improvement since losing to the Wildcats 61-25 on Nov. 21, despite breakdowns on both ends of the court.
“At this point in the season, we have to try and win low-scoring games, we’ve got to play good defense, we’ve got to value our possessions,” Hall said. “I’m proud of my group. They played hard. We’ve got some senior leadership, but we’re a young team. I see growth in them every single game. If they continue to do that, we can stay in some games on our schedule.”
The Trojans struggled with shot selection early in the game, but managed to stay close at 11-6 because of Trinity’s foul trouble. The Wildcats extended the lead to 25-14 at the half, never too far ahead of the Trojans but comfortable enough against a team that struggles to score.
“We were down to eight players tonight and we got in serious foul trouble,” Arrighi said. “Then you have to adjust your game plan of playing aggressive. Now, you’re playing passive. Then on top of that, when you’re turning the ball over at the rate we’re turning it over and not getting shots up, it just makes for a low scoring, sloppy style game.
“We’ve had a history of playing those types of games over here in this gym and tonight was just another.”
John Morris led the Wildcats with 19 points, followed by Wilson Cherry with 14. Cherry had three 3-pointers in the first half, vitally important for a team trying to build a lead, and another in the fourth.
Chase Perry led the Trojans with 14 points, all in the second half. Donald Evans added nine points.
Trinity (5-1) extended its winning streak to five games and will return home for a three-game home stand that includes Providence Christian on Saturday, Elmore County on Monday and Holtville on Tuesday.
St. James (4-4) will play host to Pike Road on Tuesday before traveling to BTW Magnet on Thursday.