Cardinal Hayes Shocks Loughlin in CHSAA Intersectional Semis
JAMAICA, NY- A team and program that hasn't had much luck as of late, it's been since 1990 and the days of Jamal Mashburn that Cardinal Hayes has made the CHSAA Intersectional Championship. They were hoping to change their fortunes though on Wednesday against a perennial CHSAA power in Bishop Loughlin in the semifinals at St. John's University.
Making 10 threes in the first three quarters put Hayes in a great position to surprise the finalists from last season, but a tough stretch from the FT line and bad turnovers in the closing minutes gave the Lions a chance in the final seconds. A missed drive by Markquis Nowell '18, and then 2 missed putback attempts gave Cardinal Hayes the rebound with under 1 second left, allowing the Cardinals to ultimately hold on and advance with a 65-62 victory.
Believing they were the ultimate underdogs having lost in the Archdiocese of New York quarterfinals, Cardinal Hayes were playing with house money as they called it. They were not thought to be among the teams who could even get to this point, and that's why according to wing Mark Jackson '17 there were able to play the way they did.
"Nerves I think is kind of overrated, especially in the position that we are in because we have nothing to lose," Jackson stated. "If I'm not out there putting my body on the line and getting the hard block and taking the hard charge then I don't really want to win"
That mindset was what they were hoping would carry them to the surprising victory, but to do it they would have to get through a Loughlin team that was primed and ready after last season's disappointment, wanting to get back and right the wrong that they felt they went through in the City Championship one year ago,
It was a strong start for Cardinal Hayes, and it was a strong start for the Cardinals from behind the arc as they made their living in the early going from long range knocking down 5 threes in the opening 8 minutes, but with Loughlin able to push the ball going the other way, they remained in the game down just 18-17 after one.
The threes that were falling in the first though started to dry up for Hayes as even though they hit on 2 more in the second quarter, they didn't hit one after the 3:43 mark in the quarter, and with the Cardinals struggling, the Lions took advantage as Tyrese Gaffney '17 would score 8 straight in what ended up being a 12-0 run to close the half for Bishop Loughlin to give them a 37-31 lead heading into halftime.
While it wasn't the game plan coming in to make 7 opening half three balls, it was what carrying them to the point that they were still in the game against the star laden Bishop Loughlin squad, and while they were trailing at the break Cardinals head coach Joe Lods was not upset with the position his team was in as he thought back to a recent game that they were in.
"I told them remember the Holy Cross game," Lods said referring to the CHSAA Intersectional 2nd Round contest. "We were up 19 at the half there and came out flat o I said let’s reverse that, and I felt it we hung around the seniors for Bishop Loughlin might get a little tight too."
That nothing to lose attitude carried them again early in the 3rd quarter as Jontai Williams '18 was able to connect on 3 three pointers in the 3rd, putting the Cardinals back in front heading into the 4th.
The lead would grow to as much as the 10 in the 4th quarter as a runner in the lane by Joe Toussaint '19 gave the Cardinals a 61-51 lead, but even though it seemed as if they were in firm control, Bishop Loughlin was far from done as Keith Williams '17 would drain his first triple of the game, and the Lions offense finally seemed to get going.
Nowell was able to attack the basket off a steal and get to the rim for a bucket, and then when Adrien Nunez '17 hit a trey from the left corner, Loughlin was within 63-62 with 27.3 seconds to go and the momentum had completely shifted in the blink of an eye.
Everything was pointing the way of Bishop Loughlin, but Lods remained confident that his squad would remain calm, believing that he was due for a big finish because of something that happened to Cardinal Hayes two years ago,
"Honestly, I thought we were due for some luck," Lods said. "I have been here, and I was up 7 points with 2 minutes left to St. Raymond's a couple of years ago, and just everything went against us that day so I felt the basketball gods were going to give me one back."
It seemed a bit dicey after Jackson made just 1 of 2 from the FT line, but with Nowell going to the lane Toussaint took a charge to give the ball back to Cardinal Hayes. Another turnover led to a Nowell drive with under 5 seconds to play, that missed and then 2 tips by Gaffney and Williams fell short, allowing Terry Dawkins '18 to get the rebound with 0.4 seconds left.
He would go 1 of 2 from the charity stripe but there was no time for anything as Cardinal Hayes once again shocked New York City in knocking off Bishop Loughlin to advance to the CHSAA Intersectional Championship on Sunday, 65-62.
A balanced scoring attack for Hayes was led by Dawkins with 16 points, while Williams added 15 points and Toussaint had 10 in a game that Lods said means the world to everyone involved with Cardinal Hayes overall.
"It's a big deal for me because I have spent so long with the kids and it's great for the school which does such great things, it's great for everyone today," Lods stated.
In the heartbreaking defeat it was Williams who had a game high 25 points, with Nowell chipping in with 13 points for the Lions who once again felt the agony and heartbreak of a tough end to the season.
Now it's the CHSAA Intersectional Championship coming up on Sunday at Fordham University for Cardinal Hayes as they will meet Archbishop Molloy looking for their first title since the Mashburn years and 1990. It's an amazing feeling right that Williams says he is going to enjoy as it's a special moment for a special school and a special program in his eyes.
"I don't even really have words to describe this right now. It's amazing. It's really exciting for us."
