By RYAN ARENA

 

COVINGTON — In its late stages, St. Charles kept the game in the hands of Kameron Keller Thursday night against host Archbishop Hannan. In return, he helped seal the Comets’ first win of the season.

Keller nailed a go-ahead 3-pointer, then went 9-of-10 from the foul line in the final two minutes of play as St. Charles bested Hannan, 34-28, in the consolation bracket of the All-State Sugar Bowl CYO basketball tournament.

Keller scored a game-high 20 points to lead the Comets. Jarrid Johnson scored seven and Jeffrey Keys scored five for SCC (1-4).

Michael Hess led the Hawks with seven points. Mason Bennett added five.

St. Charles jumped out to a 10-3 lead after the first quarter. The Comets allowed no more than nine points in any quarter, lending credence to coach Paul Waguespack’s vow that the Comets would stress defense first and foremost this season, his first heading the program.

“It’s the only way we’re gonna win,” said Waguespack, whose team boasts just one senior and an almost completely brand new rotation from a season ago. “Nobody’s going to light it up for us on a nightly basis. We need to play real good defense and protect the ball.

“(Thursday) we limited them to about 22 percent shooting from the field. We only turned it over 11 times and did a better job of protecting the ball. That was the difference.”

Limiting Hess, Waguespack said, was the Comets’ number one focus. He shot just 2-of-9 from the field.

“We knew going in that he’s pretty good, their go-to guy,” said Waguespack. “He averages about 18 or 19 points a game. Our plan was to make someone else beat us and take him out of the equation.”

St. Charles led nearly all night until Hannan (3-2) took a one-point lead midway through the fourth quarter. A Keller 3 erased that Hawk lead, though, and Hannan never led again.

“We had a tough time getting (Keller) the ball in the third quarter. Hannan had a lot to do with that,” said Waguespack. “But he came through when we needed him to.”

The Comets fell from the championship bracket with a first round loss to Holy Cross, 51-28.

The Tigers took advantage of an early surge, taking a 15-2 lead into the second quarter.

The Comets hung tough, though; the Tigers led by 13 at halftime and by 11 entering the fourth quarter.

Holy Cross put St. Charles away in the final frame, closing out SCC by outscoring it 16-4.

Jordan Brookter led Holy Cross (5-2) with 12 points.

Johnson led St. Charles with 11. Keller added eight.

“We dug ourselves a hole,” said Waguespack. “We kept fouling jump-shooters early. They led 8-0 before ever scoring a basket.”

St. Charles is set to take on Rummel today at 11:30 a.m. at Holy Cross on the final day of the CYO tourney.