The562’s coverage of St. Anthony athletics is sponsored by Jane & B.I. Mais, Class of 1949.
The St. Anthony boys’ basketball team got an early Del Rey League barometer check Tuesday night at Errion Gym.
The Saints weren’t able to hold off St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy, giving up a late regulation lead at the buzzer before losing 88-85 in an overtime thriller to open Del Rey play.
“I saw fight,” St. Anthony coach Alan Mitchell said. “But when you’re in a league like the Del Rey League – fight gotta have execution.”
The reigning Del Rey League champion Warriors started strong as they leaned on Jaden Erami and Douglar Langford Jr. to jump out to a 17-9 lead, but a late spark from Mikey Cortez cut PMA lead to 21-19 at the end of the first quarter.
Along with Cortez, Aman Haynes had seven points as he battled with Langford in the paint.
St. Anthony had some missed opportunities but locked in defensively and got things going in transition in the second quarter as they outscored the Warriors 15-14 to trail 35-34 at halftime.
Donovan Pitts and Austin Ellis each scored six points in the third quarter as the Saints attacked the paint to get the Warriors’ bigs in foul trouble and take a 55-51 lead heading into the final period.
With both sides in foul trouble, the teams took a combined 17 free throw attempts in the quarter as Saints tried to keep PMA at arms distance late in regulation.
Emari tied the game in regulation with a contested buzzer-beater that tied the game to force overtime.
In overtime, PMA’s Kayleb Kearse scored seven points as the Warriors completed the comeback with an 88-85 victory.
Emari scored a game-high 25 points, while Haynes scored 20 for the Saints.
“The only good thing about it is, is that’s it’s December 10th,” Mitchell said. “We learn from it, we get a little healthier, and we’ll see them in a few more weeks. But that’s a hell of a team over there.”
