Big run pushes Bruins past Red Devils

Hall junior Anthony Urbanski puts up a shot over St. Bede’s Kirby Sudaj Tuesday night at the Academy. Sudaj and the Bruins registered a 64-54 win over their Route Six rivals from Spring Valley. (BCR photo/Chris Yucus)

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PERU — A 15-0 run spanning the end of first half and the opening of the third quarter from the host Bruins put Tuesday night’s contest against their Route 6 rivals from Hall, at the Academy, out of reach, as the Bruins rode out a 64-54 win to cap off a boys-girls varsity doubleheader in front of a packed house.

A pair of back-to-back threes from junior sharpshooter Evan Duttlinger highlighted the St. Bede rally, which saw the host Bruins stretch what was a four-point lead with 1:30 to play until intermission into a 19-point, 44-25, advantage with 5:45 to play in the third quarter.

“Back-to-back threes are usually a killer,” said St. Bede coach Terry Nelson. “If you’re down in a game it gets you right back in, and if you’re up it gives you that separation that’s really nice.”

“We have those spurts where we go three to four minutes without scoring and that’s what kills us every game in 2010,” said Hall coach Mike Filippini. “The first four possessions (of the second half) we shot an airball, had two turnovers and missed a wide-open shot, that’s been our problem, that’s why we’re 6-18.

“It was 33-25, we thought we played a pretty good half and were pretty happy with it. Then it’s 41-25 ... we just go through those long periods where we can’t score, and that’s because we’re not a very good outside shooting team,” Filippini said.

After falling behind 24 after three quarters of action, 56-32, the Red Devils refused to concede defeat, whittling down the Academy’s advantage throughout the final frame, managing to bring it down to 10, 64-54, as they outscored the Bruins 22-8 in the final frame.

Filippini praised the efforts of his troops, especially reserve senior guard T.J. Mosbach, who played with a heart that was much bigger than his 5-8 frame should allow for as he flew around the court making hustle plays despite the big deficit on the scoreboard.

“This is probably, in the nine years (that he’s coached at Hall), the team that plays the hardest, Filippini said. “They’re not the most talented team, but those kids try their best.”

Leading the way for St. Bede (12-8) was junior forward Ross Kenseth, a recent addition to the Bruins’ starting lineup, who scored six points in the Bruins opening 9-0 run and finished with 15 points on the evening. Duttlinger joined him in double digits with 14, including a trio of treys, and sophomore reserve center Tony Yucus gave the Bruins a big boost off the bench, tallying 11 points, including seven in the second quarter.

“I’m pleased with the effort,” said Nelson. “I thought it was a total team effort, guys are coming off the bench and I’m pleased. We led big for a while, and we got a little sloppy there at the end, but for us a win’s a win. We’ve got 12 wins on the season, they had six last year. We’re making progress and, hopefully, we’ll get some more wins before the season’s over.”

Junior forward Tyler Thompson was the high point man for Hall (6-18), finishing with 18 points to lead all scorers, senior forward Billy Gaull added nine, and senior guard Matt Orlandi added eight, including a pair of threes for the Red Devils.

Notes: Denise Duffel made an emotional speech to the St. Bede crowd prior to the tip-off of the contest, thanking the entire Academy community for their acts of help and support during her son Tyler’s recent battle with a malignant brain tumor. In a tearful speech, Duffel voiced her appreciation for all the calls, cards and support given to Tyler, who suited up for the Bruins’ basketball team and graduated from the Academy in 2008. “This is a wonderful place, I thank you all,” Duffel said. “Some of the best kids in the world go to St. Bede Academy.” Tyler’s younger brother Austin is currently a junior at St. Bede, and saw action in last night’s contest.

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