For The Dialog
WILMINGTON – Fifth-ranked Appoquinimink traveled north on Feb. 2 to meet No. 8 Salesianum, and the Jaguars scored a 50-46 overtime win in a defensive struggle that featured more turnovers than made field goals.
The Sals got off to a fast start behind five points from Kasai Guthrie, including an old-fashioned three-point play. The 7-2 lead quickly faded as the Jags’ Myles Cale took over with Salesianum big man Tariq Ingraham on the bench. Included among Cale’s points was a thunderous dunk that gave Appo an 8-7 lead after the first quarter.
Salesianum forward Paul Brown scored six straight points in the second to give his team a 21-17 lead, but Cale tied the game at 21 with four consecutive of his own, including the final bucket off a steal as he ran the length of the court and beat the buzzer.
The third quarter was fairly even until the last minute, when Sallies’ Trevon Alderman hit a three-pointer and Ingraham added a putback with three seconds remaining to give the hosts a 32-27 lead. Appoquinimink cut three points off that lead, however, as Keith DeLoatch nailed a half-court buzzer-beater.
DeLoatch opened the fourth with an old-fashioned three, and the Jaguars took a one-point lead. The teams were even throughout the final stanza until Cale hit a pair of free throws late, but Ingraham tied the game with a rebound of a missed shot with 1:26 to go. The defenses held, and the teams went to overtime tied at 42.
With the game tied at 46, Cale hit a fadeaway baseline jumper with 16 seconds remaining. Appo scored a point on a free throw following a Salesianum turnover, and the Jaguars added one more point on a free throw with four seconds left to seal the win.
Ingrham led Saleslainum with 10 points, while Brown added nine. The Sals are now 7-5 and host powerful Mount Pleasant on Saturday night at 7:30 p.m.
The Jags got a game-high 21 from Cale; DeLoatch had 10. Appo improved to 9-4 and travels to Middletown on Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. tip.
