Boys Basketball: Marist slows Eisenhower for invite title
Updated: December 21, 2011 9:02PM
Preparing his team with a scheme, Marist coach Gene Nolan typically is looking to give up about 40 to 50 points a game defensively.
And then there is Eisenhower with its fast-paced, high-octane offense.
“Running shooters off of screens like they do, we’re just trying to stay in front of our guy,” Marist’s L.J. McIntosh said. “It’s hard to simulate what they do in practice and hard to prepare for. We could just play hard and do the best we can.”
Slowing the Cardinals offense down as much as possible and holding onto the ball, Marist won 76-67 over Eisenhower in the final game of the Marist Invitational. The host RedHawks went a perfect 4-0 in the round robin format to take the first Invitational title.
Nic Weishar had 20 points with McIntosh (19), Lexus Williams (15), and Jack Barry (13) contributing for Marist (9-3). Dustan Lewis’ 14 points paced Eisenhower (3-9) to go with 10 points from Mike White Jr.
Trying to halt Eisenhower, the RedHawks chased them into a 24-for-67 shooting day overall from the field and a 9-for-40 showing from three-point range.
Even with leading scorers Lewis and Tyrone Terrell on the bench with foul trouble in the first, Eisenhower led 40-39 at the half. A quick Marist run out of the locker room turned the momentum.
“We knew we could overcome what we were doing. We had beaten them (over Thanksgiving) and coach Nolan told us it’s hard to beat a good team twice.
Barry hit a three-pointer to give Marist a 42-40 lead, one they would not relinquish. Weishar and Williams both scored inside to continue the 14-3 quarter-opening run.
Eisenhower traded baskets in the fourth but got no closer than seven points late at 72-65 after a Terrell drive.
“I’ve seen (Marist) four times at Thanksgiving and four times here,” Eisenhower coach Mike Curta said. “If they get a double-digit lead in the fourth, you’re done. They did what they did really well and pulled it out.”
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