*** Click here for video highlights and interviews from the game***
By James A. McCray III
Prince George’s County, Content Manager
Lay-up baskets, put-back baskets, and rebounds was the common theme for Bishop McNamara Mustangs big man Talib Zanna in Saturday’s contest with St. Frances Academy of Baltimore in game No. 3 of the DTLR National Hoops Festival hosted at Henry Wise High School.
When a shot when up, Zanna would get position under the basket and prepare for a missed shot, and often found himself with an easy basket en route to a 55-37 victory over St. Frances, one of the best teams out of the Baltimore area.
McNamara improved to 2-0 early on the season and controlled the game enough for a wire-to-wire victory.
As the Mustangs went into the half with a 32-17 lead, St. Frances came out of the locker rooms and promptly went on a 13-2 scoring run to cut the lead down to only four points at 34-30.
“I think the first, second, and fourth quarters we played very well offensively and defensively,” McNamara head coach Marty Keithline said. “In the third we just got stagnant. We did not create any turnovers and we allowed them to come back in the game. We gave them open shots and open looks and to their credit they did a good job and cut the lead down to four [points].”
However, that would be as close as St. Frances would get to within the lead as the Mustangs closed the door by only allowing five fourth-quarter points.
“I am really excited about this one,” Zanna said. “We are 2-0, and I was really proud of my team.”
Zanna scored a game-high 17 points and was also named Most Valuable Player for his performance.
On the third quarter thoughts when the lead was cut to only four points, Zanna added: “I was just frustrated. But, you know, my coach called me back to the bench and told me to calm down … and I just did what he told me.”
Although Zanna was the only McNamara player to score in double figures, eight other players were able to find the bottom of the net, including seven points from guard Rashad Whack.
“We came out strong in the beginning, you know, getting a good run in the first half,” Whack said. “[In] the third quarter we came out and didn’t play that good. … After that timeout we came out and showed the other team who we are.”
As to why the team is 2-0 early on and what he likes about this year’s team, Whack added: “The excitement and the fire that we bring. … Defensively this year, we are doing way better than we did last year.”
St. Frances (1-1) was led by a 13-point performance by senior guard Terrell Vinson.
tmccray@digitalsports.com
BISHOP MCNAMARA 55, ST. FRANCES 37
St. Frances — 7 10 15 5
McNamara — 15 17 6 17
St. Frances: Vinson 13, Lewis 8, Holmes 6, Sparrow 5, Rodgers 3, Williams 2
McNamara: Zanna 17, Whack 7, Washington 7, Coleman 6, Muhammed 5, Bazilio 5, Smith 4, Shipe 3, Buyck 1
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