St. Anthony's Boys Basketball Falls to Chaminade, 65-55

For a half, all the pajama-clad fans made sense. The game was a romp, one big slumber party for the team.

Seeking its first Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA win of the season, St. Anthony’s fearlessly charged at rival Friday night in South Huntington. The Friars took a nine-point lead into intermission on . Yet for the capacity crowd of 1,400, beating the rival Flyers was just daydreaming.  

Chaminade used a 17-4 third-quarter run and shot a near-perfect 91-percent from the foul line in the second half to earn a 65-55 win over the Friars. James McCaffrey finished with 17 points and eight rebounds for Chaminade (9-2, 3-0) while 6-foot, 7-inch Richard Zoller III added 10 points, 13 rebounds and 2 blocks.

"That run really hurt us," said St. Anthony's senior Marko Paraica, who had 17 points. "It put them in the driver's seat."

Paraica helped St. Anthony's make a late charge. His inside bucket with 2:18 left cut the deficit to 55-51. He got the ball back and drove to the hoop less than a minute later. But he missed and then was whistled for a foul going after the rebound. It proved to be the seventh team foul and his fifth personal.

So Paraica not only fouled out, Chaminade's Zoller made both ends of a one-and-one to extend the lead to 57-51 with 1:22 remaining.

It didn't help that St. Anthony's could not convert its own foul shots down the stretch. There will be no sleeping in for on Saturday. Coach Jim Fenton promised plenty of free-throw shooting drills at practice.

Hero: St. Anthony’s senior forward James McKenna opened the game like a prizefighter looking for an early knockout. He sank a pair of three pointers in the first quarter and finished with 20 points and nine rebounds. 

Turning Point: Chaminade unleashed a 17-4 run to open the second half and turn a 33-24 Friars lead into a 41-37 Flyers edge with 1:50 to go in the third. Senior guard Kevin Sheehy (23 points) converted 2 of 3 free throws after being fouled attempting a three. It put the Flyers in front, 38-37. Then McCaffrey sank a three-pointer from the right corner. St. Anthony’s never regained the lead.

Quotable: “We’re having trouble playing four quarters of basketball,” Fenton said. “But we’re playing well in spurts. We have times where we make mistakes and become less aggressive on offense. And it hurts us. But the work ethic of these kids is good.”

Bottom Line: St. Anthony’s played inspired ball. The Friars looked unstoppable at times in the first half. Fenton’s team even had Chaminade in the penalty late in the third quarter. But questionable shot selection in the final minutes, as well as poor foul shooting, doomed the Friars. With just one returning starter from a year ago, everyone knew this would be a team that would take its lumps in December and January. But as St. Anthony’s showed at times against a talented Flyers squad, this cast has the potential to be great. The question is can it happen in time for the playoffs?

Key Stat: The game was won – and lost – at the foul line in the fourth quarter. Chaminade was nearly flawless. The Flyers converted 14 of 15 free throws in the quarter and went 20-for-22 in the second half. Meanwhile St. Anthony’s went 2-for-10 down the stretch. 

Who’s Next: St. John the Baptist @ St. Anthony’s, Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.

Nassau-Suffolk CHSAA Boys Basketball

Teams……........………..…1…..2…..3…..4 – F

Chaminade……........….16…..8…23…18 – 65

St. Anthony’s……........15.…18…10…12 – 55

C: Sheehy 5-9-23, McCaffrey 4-8-17 Gonyon 3-0-6, Zoller 2-6-10, Colombo 1-1-3, Gallego 2-0-4, Beaubrun 1-0-2. Totals: 18-24-65. SA: Pandales 3-2-8, Napier 1-0-2, Kerrigan 1-2-4, McKenna 6-4-20, Peraica 7-3-17, Carter 1-0-2, Teape 0-2-2. Totals: 19-13-55. Three-pointers – C: Sheehy 4, McCaffrey; SA: McKenna 4.