Friday, January 8, 2010
The Record Volume 40, Issue 15
The Official Student Publication of the Saint Louis Priory School since 1960
Kopfensteiner Red Hot! Senior James Kopfensteiner leads Varsity Basketball to victory in Affton Tournament David Taiclet, ’11 Sports Editor
The Priory Varsity Basketball team played in the Affton tournament over Christmas break. The Rebels had lost four games in a row against tough teams. They also are missing three key players due to injuries. Despite these facts Priory entered the Affton holiday tournament as the number 1 seed. The Rebels first played the number 8 seeded Dupo Tigers. The Rebels controlled the tempo and the boards all game long. James led the team in scoring with 19 points and Matt Keating pulled down a ridiculous 22 rebounds, also adding 13 points of his own. Priory’s defense was not as stellar as it has been at other times, but this could have been attributed to a 10 A.M. start to the game, but Priory was able to squeak out a 65-60 win. This was their first in over three weeks. The next game was against the number four seed Crossroads. Crossroads beat Priory in the championship game last year. But this year was a different story. Thanks to the win the day before the Rebels game didn’t start until 1 P.M. giving everyone enough sleep. This may be why the defense was so good this game. Crossroads only scored 47 points and Priory’s defense only allowed four players from Crossroads to score. But defense didn’t win this game alone.
The championship game pitted the number two seeded Hancock Tigers against the number one seeded Priory Rebels. Hancock likes to push the tempo and play a full court press all game. Early in the game Priory’s backcourt handled the pressure very well and found some easy shots. This forced Hancock to fall back into a halfcourt defense. Midway through the first quarter David Taiclet was added to the long list of injured players when he had to leave to get stitches after being hit in the head by an errant elbow. However, Jack Taiclet filled in nicely by scoring 14 points, and along with James’ 19 points and Matt Keating’s control of the boards James Kopfensteiner goes up for a 3-pointer against a the Rebels won in overtime, 46-40. Hancock defender. Kopfensteiner’s 19 points helped the Defense was key this game as both Rebels to a 46-40 win. teams had trouble scoring. At the end of regulation the score was 34- 34. But Priory shot the ball extremely well, once again clutch free throw shooting especially behind the three point line and from the free throw line. The sealed the deal. Rebels made as many three pointers as “You can’t leave James Kopfensteiner near an open flame. He’s they did shots inside the arc and shot too explosive!” This is what all the teams 80% from the free throw line. This is a in the Affton Holiday Tournament team that had shot barely over 30 percent in their four straight losses figured out about him. His clutch earlier in the season. shooting was on display every game as he led the tournament in scoring. Both James Kopfensteiner was on fire James and Matt Keating were named to against Crossroads, especially in the the all-tournament team. Priory next second half. Going into halftime James only had three points. But he ended the faces a tough Duchesne team and hopes game with 29. I don’t know if he even to have Matt Jones, Mike Puettmann, David Taiclet, and Mark Mannino back missed a shot in the second half. by then. Thanks to him the Rebels won 56-47.