Xaverian knocks off Stepinac

Nick Folk scored a game-high 31 points, including 19 in the first half, leading Xaverian to a 74-63 triumph over nationally-ranked Archbishop Stepinac in Brooklyn on Sunday. The Clippers' offense was bolstered by the long ball, as Folk drained seven 3-pointers and teammate Billy Reyes connected on six, finishing with 21 points.

Backed by a hostile home crowd, Xaverian's defense held McDonald's All-American RJ Davis to just 13 points on three field goals and no 3-pointers. Davis is the CHSAA's leading scorer so far this season, averaging 26.5 points per game through the Crusaders' first 14 contests, and is Westchester County's all-time high school career scoring leader.

Although Xaverian led wire-to-wire, Stepinac battled back from a 13-point second quarter deficit to pull within a point at 48-47 early in the fourth after Davis hit Malcolm Chimezie with a spectacular behind-the-back pass. Folk answered with a 3-pointer on the next possession, and Xaverian regained breathing room when a Reyes 3-pointer made it 58-51 with 4:00 to play.

Stepinac called for a timeout after Justin Morety answered with a 3-pointer to make it 58-54, and the Crusaders pulled within a bucket at 58-56 after Davis found Chimezie under the hoop again, this time for a two-handed dunk with 3:35 to play. A pair of Folk free throws and a putback by Chimezie made it 60-58, but Davis was whistled for a costly technical at the 2:52 mark, apparently stemming from an official's directive to give the inbounder space on a sideline throw-in.

Reyes made just one of two from the stripe, but he connected on a foul line jumper on the awarded possession, putting Xaverian ahead 63-58 with 2:40 remaining. Stepinac came up empty on its next trip, and Folk found Elijah Hardison for a run-out dunk, making it a 65-58 Xaverian lead with just 2:05 to play.

Davis made it a two-possession game after his 3-point play brought Stepinac within four at 65-61, but Folk hit another 3-pointer, this one putting Xaverian back up by seven at 68-61, now with just 1:30 left on the clock. Davis was called for an offensive foul on the next possession, and Xaverian took a 70-61 lead on Shawn Fulcher's tip in.

Stepinac still had life when Morety was fouled on a 3-point attempt, but he made just 2 of 3 from the line and Xaverian sealed the game with free throws, two of which were awarded after a Stepinac bench technical. 

The win gives Xaverian a league record of 7-3, tops in the CHSAA Brooklyn-Queens Division. The Clippers will visit Mount Saint Michael on Friday.

Stepinac, currently ranked 48th in the Ballislife Fab 50, is now 8-2 in league play and 11-6 overall. The Crusaders now trail St. Raymond (9-1) by a full game in the CHSAA New York Archdiocesan standings. Stepinac is 4-4 since national prospect Adrian Griffin Jr. became sidelined with an injury sustained during the Crusaders' win against Iona Prep on January 3rd. Stepinac will host Archbishop Molloy on Tuesday.  

Morety scored 20 points for the Crusaders.

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