The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE pennant winning Our Lady’s Blue Flames rode the high scoring duo of their versatile bigs all the way to a game one win in the Catholic Primary Schools Basketball Championship series.

Manteo Taylor scored a game high 16 points while Fransico McKinney added 11 in the Blue Flames 39-25 win at Loyola Hall yesterday.

Clinging to a slim 13-12 lead at the half, the Blue Flames held the Giants without a field goal in the third quarter and outscored them 16-3 to surge ahead for good.

Taylor led the charge with nine points in the quarter and was virtually unstoppable from the high post.

“We are looking to make history. Winning this championship would mean a lot to the school, to our team our coach and to everyone so we have to come out and continue to play well to get the wins,” he said.

“In game two we have to do the same things we did today but our defense has to be better to start the game. On offense we just have to share the ball, make our layups and hit free throws and I believe we can win.”

Our Lady’s opened the third on a 10-0 run capped by McKinney’s for their first double digit advantage of the game, 23-12.

The Blue Flames took a 29-15 lead into the fourth and led by as much as 18 as they held on for the win.

Xaviers went without a second half field goal until the 3:30 mark in the fourth. Dante Cooper led the Giants with nine while Dayne Saunders added six.

In the first quarter, Our Lady’s took a 7-6 lead. After trailing for much of the second, the Blue Flames went ahead on a pair of free throws from McKinney as time expired.

Winning the pennant again this year, Our Lady’s finished on top of the standings at 8-1, followed by St Thomas at 6-4, the same record as Xavier’s, who got third based on their head-to-head match-ups.

Game two is scheduled for 4pm Wednesday at Loyola Hall.