MIDDLE VILLAGE, NY – It’s been an emotional rollercoaster for the Bishop Loughlin Lions since finishing their regular season with a heartbreaking loss to Holy Cross, the team with the worst record in the league. To come back from that to win the CHSAA B/Q Sectional Championship on Friday was a feat in a of itself but Loughlin did it, beating well coached and determined Xaverian squad, 61 – 49.

“it’s always difficult to get 13 to 15 personalities to play as one but they came up big” said Lions head coach Ed Gonzalez. “They worked all year long to be here and they didn’t want to go home losers.”

Gonzalez said that his team came to the playoffs with a purpose. “Last year they were disappointed but wanted to give 110% this year.”

Loughlin pounced on the Clippers from the get-go as 6’4” Jahiem Young ‘19 drove in the paint and then drained a three while 6’6” Justin Champagnie ‘19 went air born for a powerful dunk while twin brother Julian Champagnie ‘19 drained a trey. With 2 minutes left in the warn-up quarter, the Lions were hotter than warm and led 12 – 3.

Xaverian inched back into the contest as its guards attacked the rim and kicked it 6’7” Michael Graham ‘19 for dunks and put backs. As the quarter closed, the Champagnie twins erupted, putting more points on the board for Loughlin.

The Clippers were still in the hunt, only trailing by seven as the second quarter started but Loughlin’s transition game blossomed and the twins were like a runaway train. Midway through the second half, the Lions lead ballooned to twenty points and Xaverian was facing extinction.

Lions advantage grew to a game high 22 points before baskets by 5’11” Nicholas Folk ‘21, a put back by Graham and the half time buzzer combined to stop the bleeding. The Clippers found themselves in a 39 – 21 hole at the midway point of the game.

The third quarter got underway and 5’6” point guard Maurice Doby ‘20 scored quickly for Loughlin. The Clippers were once again down 20 and looking into the abyss. That is until a hard-fought basket by 6’1” Isaiah Amazon ‘19 followed by a Graham dunk set off a 12 - 5 in the Clippers who were suddenly only down by 12 at the end of the quarter.

Xaverian once again implemented drive and kicks that 5’11” guard Shawn Fulcher ‘20 to Graham became a steady diet. Loughlin turnovers along with Folk and Fulcher always in attack mode at Lions frontcourt began yielding fruit. With 2:20 left to play, the Clippers had cut a 22-point lead down to 6 points but the Clippers had exerted a lot of energy to accomplish that feat. Transition baskets by the Champagnies along with close out free-throws by Doby pumped the Lions lead back to ten-points as the hour glass finally emptied on Xaverian’s chances.

Julian Champagnie led Bishop Loughlin with 20 points with Justin Champagnie and Young pitching in 14 points apiece. Graham was the leading scorer for Xaverian with 20 points.

St. Peter’s advances in 1st round over Molloy, 69 – 59

While the B/Q Sectional championship game closed out the evening, the first round of the CHSAA Class “AA” Intersectionals opened the evening. Paced by 21 points from 6’2” Chris Clancy and 19 points from 6’7” Liam Murphy ‘19, St. Peter’s was able to run their stuff and take out the Archbishop Molloy Stanners. When the Eagles are able to run their stuff, they’re always deadly.