For The Dialog
WILMINGTON – Caravel watched a 10-point lead get cut to one in the last minute, but the 19th-seeded Buccaneers were able to hold on for a 60-53 upset win over No. 3 Salesianum in a DIAA second-round playoff game on March 3. The sold-out battle was Salesianum’s lone home loss of the season.
The Sals came out firing, as Jack Brown hit a three-pointer, and his brother Paul drained three field goals to give the hosts a quick 9-0 lead. It was 11-3 at the end of the first quarter.
O’Koye Parker got on track for Caravel in the second quarter, finding the net on a deep three to cut the lead to 18-12. Paul Brown connected on a hook shot, and Brett Henshey hit from distance for the Sals, who led, 26-21 at the half.
The third quarter belonged to the Bucs. Parker’s quarter included two long three-pointers as he outscored Sallies, 10-7, in the third. The Buccaneers extended their 37-34 lead to 49-39 with 4:34 left in the fourth quarter. The Sals started chipping away, as Michael Kempski hit a field goal to go along with five foul shots to cut it to 51-46. Jack Brown scored on a put back, and Darnell Vaughn hit two free throws to make it a one-possession contest at 53-50 with 1:25 left.
Former Salesianum guard Trevon Alderman hit one free throw for Caravel, but Joe Nowak responded for the Sals with an old-fashioned three-point play to cut it to 54-53. The Sals rebounded a Bucs miss and had the ball with 46 seconds left. Paul Brown was called for an offensive foul, and Parker hit two free throws, then scored on a drive off a Sals miss to advance the Bucs to the quarterfinals.
Parker finished with 27 points to pace the Buccaneers (16-7). They face Sanford at 1 p.m. on Sunday at the Bob Carpenter Center. Salesianum got 15 points from Paul Brown and 14 from Kempski. The Sals finished the season at 15-6.
In other second-round action Friday night, No. 2 St. Thomas More edged No. 15 St. Mark’s, 43-42, at Polytech High School. The Ravens will meet Appoquinimink at the Bob Carpenter Center on Sunday at approximately 2:45. St. Mark’s finished the season 16-6. No. 7 St. Elizabeth fell, 71-63, in double overtime to No. 11 Sanford, ending the Vikings’ season at 13-8.
