Top-seeded Mount Saint Joseph beats 8th seed Loyola, 59-44
No. 1 St. Frances tops Spalding; John Carroll defeats Mt. Carmel
The Mount Saint Joseph basketball team had its way with Loyola Blakefield in two regular-season meetings, winning each time by 21 points.
The third meeting was a little closer.
The top-seeded Gaels posted a 59-44 victory over the eighth-seeded Dons in a Baltimore Catholic League tournament quarterfinal Saturday at SECU Arena.
Senior guard Miles Wilson led the winners with 13 points. Jalen Smith, a sophomore power forward, added 12 points.
Mount Saint Joseph advances to play today in the semifinals against the winner of fourth seed Calvert Hall vs. fifth seed St. Maria Goretti.
Mount Saint Joseph took a 10-0 lead in the first 6:30 as Loyola missed its first 10 shots.
Loyola cut the lead to 16-9 with 6:29 remaining in the second quarter when Andrew Fava hit the Dons' second straight 3-pointer.
But the Gaels pushed its lead to 21-9 about three minutes later, and held a 26-14 advantage at halftime.
Loyola trimmed the margin to 31-22 with 4:02 left in the third quarter but got no closer the rest of the way.
Junior Patrick Norris had 12 points for the Dons, and junior guard Kenny Lewis chipped in 10.
St. Frances played without Daquan Bracey. Justin Kane led Spalding with 20 points.
Mount Carmel took a 13-8 lead after the first quarter on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. John Carroll took control after that and never trailed again.