 High School Basketball:
The Big Guys Help Holy Spirit Get By Sterling
Saturday, February 9, 2002
By Art Redd
SJSports Staff Writer
Henry White and Marc Milbourne were determined not to disappoint their visiting fans that traveled to Somerdale, New Jersey to watch Holy Spirit take on the Silver Knights from Sterling High School. After a slow start, White and Matthews controlled the boards late in the game in route to the Spartans 63-55 win over Sterling in a non-league game. The Knights' coach Bill Hiltner tried to overcome the foul trouble his team encountered trying to stop the potent Holy Spirit offense.
The Spartans head coach Tom Attanasi has been enjoying the success his boy's basketball team has accomplished this season. Holy Spirit (16-2) has earned the top place in the Cape-Atlantic League National Division I in front of Hermits from St. Augustine Prep School. With seniors like White and Matthews who are both 6'6" leading the way, the Spartans has been labeled as one of the top ten basketball programs in South Jersey. So when a team like that goes up against another good team, it's a good test to really see how good your team can be.
 Sterling (17-3) is known as a very good outside shooting team. Senior Dan Terrell has the capability of connecting on his three-point attempts way beyond the arch. So when teams defend the outside shooting, the big man in the middle, senior Dave Cogan positions his 6'7" frame, positions himself down low for the score. At the beginning of this game, Sterling jumped ahead early behind the shooting of Terrell and Tim Parker. After the Knights led by the score of 11-3, the Spartans ended the quarter going on a 9-4 run to only trail by 3 points.
The chess match continued as both coaches were shouting out plays on both the defensive and offensive side of the court. Marc Milbourne's two free throws with 6:02 remaining in the half gave Holy Spirit their first lead of the game. The seesaw battle continued when Cogan's next two baskets put the Knights back in the lead by the score of 21-19. But Milbourne, scoring 10 points in the second quarter, battled inside on the offensive boards to score the next five points. His 3 pointer seemed to give the Spartans the momentum to pull away from Sterling. The Knights would put together a 7-2 run to go back ahead by two at the end of the half.
Holy Spirit started the second half red hot, connecting on their first six shot attempts but could not pull away from Sterling. The Knights did tie the game at fifty-two all in the fourth quarter with 6:11 showing on the clock. Yet again, Milbourne and Jon Mimmo sealed the victory for Holy Spirit. Mimmo went 8 for 8 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter and finished with 18 points. Marc Milbourne had a game high 20 points and Henry White added 15 points for the Spartans from Holy Spirit. Dan Terrell led the Sterling Knights with 18 points, Dave Cogan added 14 points and Tim Parker finished with 10 points.
Photos by Art Redd
          
|
High School Basketball:
