ST. MARYS — On a night the 2014 Elk County Catholic baseball team was honored for their run to the state championship, its boys basketball team put on a show of their own.
Nate DaCanal led three players in double figures with 14 points as the Crusaders executed to near-perfection for three quarters in a 64-54 win over DuBois Central Catholic in an early-season battle of unbeatens.
“I thought we played extremely well,” said Elk County Catholic coach Aaron Straub. “I thought our energy was good, I thought our team concept was good and I thought the first quarter we came out and played really well.”
The first quarter Straub referred to saw his squad jump out to a 23-10 lead.
DCC (4-1) took its only lead of the game, 8-6, on a hook shot from Dallas Gray, but after that it was all Crusaders. They closed the quarter on a 17-2 run, including three triples — two from Kyle Huff and one from Benji Hoffman.
The six points from Huff were part of a 12-point performance off the bench, leading the ECC (4-0) bench as they outscored DCC 26-4 in that department.
“I can’t find a whole lot of fault with how we played in the first quarter,” noted Straub. “We moved the ball well and we established ourselves inside.”
The Cardinals (4-1) responded with a run of their own in the second quarter, keyed by Christian LaParne and Ryan Anderson, the latter of whom had a game-high 15 points.
DCC outscored ECC 16-6 in the second stanza as the Crusaders offense went stagnant.
“In the second quarter, we got away from what we were trying to do,” Straub admitted. “We shot way too many three’s.”
The second half was all Elk Catholic, as Mitchell Struble, who was held scoreless in the first half, partially due to picking up two quick fouls, nailed back-to-back three’s to help his squad re-take control.
ECC also ratcheted up the defense effort, mixing in some 2-3 zone after Gray got going on the inside.
They also held Dane Aucker, the Cardinals’ leading scorer and preseason First-Team All-District 9 pick to just four points through the first three quarters.
“We felt like we needed to give them a different look,” Straub noted of the zone. “I think our 2-3 will be really good when we work on it some more. I don’t think we took away as many strengths as we would have liked to. They scored a lot of times going to their right, especially on runners and that’s something I think we can clean up a little bit. But they’re extremely quick and well-coached.”
DaCanal also got going in the second half, as his layup in the fourth quarter gave the Crusaders their biggest lead of the game at 59-44.
The foul line was also beneficial for the hosts, as they were 7-of-8 in the fourth quarter and 12-of-15 for the game.
“In the second half we got back to what we were trying to do,” Straub said. “Other than getting offensively fragmented in the second quarter, I’m happy with the way we played.”
The Crusaders will have another good test before the Elk County Holiday Tournament, as they travel to fellow unbeaten Ridgway Tuesday.
“The AML Is really good again,” noted Straub. “We’re looking forward to a challenge on Tuesday from Ridgway. They’re an excellent team and they really have it rolling. We’ll have to go down there and play well.”
DUBOIS CENTRAL CATHOLIC (54)
Dane Aucker 4-1-3-10, LaParne 3-3-4-9, Dallas Gray 6-2-2-14, Nick Anderson 6-0-0-15, Fitzpatrick 1-0-0-2, Fassnacht 1-0-0-2, Szczerba 0-0-0-0, Varischetti 1-0-0-2, Totals 22-6-9-54
ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC (64)
Herzing 0-0-0-0, Mitchell Struble 3-2-2-11, B. Hoffman 3-0-0-7, Nate DaCanal 5-4-4-14, Seelye 2-2-2-6, Singer 2-2-2-6, Kyle Huff 5-0-1-12, Wehler 1-2-4-4, Smith 2-0-0-4, Dattoli 0-0-0-0, Totals 23-12-15-64
By Quarters
DCC 10 16 11 17—54
ECC 23 6 17 18—64
Three-point FGs: DuBois Central Catholic (4) — Anderson 3, Aucker; Elk County Catholic (6) — Struble 3, Huff 2, Hoffman
