MACOMB, Michigan -- The Shrine Knights fended off a late push from the Lutheran North Mustangs to win 56-46 in a Catholic High School League Intersectional battle. The Knights had four players score in double digits and the Mustangs had just one player in double figures.
The Knights (10-5, 5-1 CHSL Intersectional) were led by point guard Ian Gappy and center Ethan Groth, as Groth scored 14 points and Gappy chipped in 12 for Shrine. The two juniors helped control the guard play and the post game. Meanwhile, Tom Peaslee scored 12 and Michael Niehaus tossed in 10 points in the win.
Jack Hilt was the lone star for the Mustangs (9-5, 3-3 CHSL Intersectional) with 22 points, a game-high, and eight rebounds. Hilt scored the first eight points of the game for Lutheran North and continued his scoring throughout the game. Drew Arft, who is averaging over 20.0 points per game on the season, only scored two points and was benched for the final three minutes of the game.
Gappy finished the first quarter will a three-pointer from the parking lot to push Shrine to a 16-9 lead. The Knights went on to hold a 29-24 edge at the halftime break.
Eli Thaut fouled out for the Mustangs in the middle of the fourth quarter. The junior point guard was in slight pain after taking multiple hard falls in the loss. Without Thaut, Kasey Lesnau stepped up and scored eight points, while Adam Collins added four points.
With 2:30 to play in the event, Hilt came through clutch with a knock down three-point jumper from the right side. Seconds later, Lesnau stole the inbound pass and got fouled on the layup. Lesnau, a junior, scored the layup and completed the three-point play with a made free throw to cut Lutheran North's deficit to just six points against Shrine.
The Knights managed to knock down late free throws to help close the game out. The Mustangs, however, missed a few opportunities down the stretch due to lack of rebounding. Nevertheless, Shrine rolled out of Lutheran North with a 56-46 victory.
Lutheran North will host the Cabrini Monarchs on Tuesday at 7:30 PM and Shrine will travel to Waterford, Michigan to face the Our Lady of the Lakes Lakers on Friday. Both Lutheran North and Shrine will be competing in Catholic League Intersectional games.