Dec. 19--A 15-point second-quarter hole was not how Fenwick wanted to start Friday night's road test against De La Salle, but the veteran-laden Friars didn't panic.
Their resolve and a defense that stiffened as the game progressed served them well, as the No. 3 Friars steadied themselves by halftime and pulled away in the second half for a 62-51 Catholic Red win.
"We never put our heads down because we knew it was a long game," Fenwick senior point guard Mike Smith said. "Defense is really what turned us around, and we started sharing the ball a lot better."
Smith split his time between setting up teammates in the paint and driving, which helped send the four-year starter to the foul line 11 times, making nine.
As Fenwick (8-0, 3-0) righted itself, the No. 18 Meteors (6-2, 1-2) cooled off. De La Salle's lead peaked at 21-6 a minute into the second quarter, but star guard George Willborn was called for his third foul midway through the period.
The Friars outscored the Meteors 26-17 in the second, cutting the lead to 33-32 at halftime. Fenwick edged to a 45-44 lead by the end of the third quarter before Smith and the Friars took over.
Once the Friars established a lead, Smith's ball handling maximized each possession. After a 3-pointer brought the Meteors within 49-48 with 5:13 left, Fenwick closed the game on a 13-2 run.
"Early on, we just kind of hung in there and stayed the course, which is big for us," Fenwick coach Rick Malnati said. "We're still not playing great but we're showing flashes. I'm excited for what we've got ahead of us."
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
Player of the game: Mike Smith, Fenwick, 18 points, 9-11 FTs.
Key performers: Fenwick -- Mike Ballard, 14 points, 8 rebounds; Jacob Keller, 13 points, 6 rebounds. De La Salle -- George Willborn, 20 points, 6 rebounds.
.png?w=600)
