By Larry Moko
The Cathedral Gaels remain the only undefeated team in Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic high school basketball.
Cathedral improved to 12-0 in the senior boys' standings with a 79-68 road victory over the second-place Bishop Tonnos Titans (9-3) Thursday.
"So far, so good," Gaels coach Luca Fortino said. "Hopefully, we can keep it going."
Tonnos poured in 15 three-point baskets and held an eight-point third-quarter lead. Cathedral, however, broke open a 58-58 tie by going on a 21-10 run in the final seven minutes.
Andrae Astwood and Michael Kajcsaracz were the leading scorers for the Gaels with 22 and 16 points, respectively. Mekhi Bennett contributed 11 points, Aaron Daly chipped in with 10 and Josh Granger-Bigford added nine.
For the Titans, the top point-getters were Jason Dryden (13), Andrew Anandappa (12), Max Tapuska (12) and Jeff Ramos (seven).
The contest was a struggle for high-scoring Cathedral.
"This was our fifth game in four days," Fortino explained. "We played two on Wednesday in Toronto. I think it really caught up to us."
The Gaels were hard hit by injuries and sickness, too, which kept several starting players out of the lineup.
"It's tough when you have all those illnesses and injuries piling up," Fortino said. "We need time off. And we'll be getting it because exam break is coming up."
The Cathedral coach said forwards Astwood and Daly were key to the victory.
"Our big men did a great job today," he said. "I think they were Players of the Game, both of them. We've got a little more size than other teams so we try to work our way inside first."
The pair of veterans did almost all of their scoring from close range under the basket. And according to Fortino, Daly's rebounding was particularly impressive.
"Aaron has a motor on him. He just goes 100 miles an hour. When that ball goes up on the rim he's an animal. Like a dog he goes after everything.
"That is what really has improved about him. I wish other guys played with that kind of heart."
Tonnos coach Woods Brown said he could offer no excuses.
"You've got to give Cathedral credit, for sure," Brown said. "They are a well-coached team. They have all the pieces. They have height, length, skilled wings and very poised point guards.
"They're a hard team to beat, but not impossible. When we play against them we have to be at our best."
On offence, Tonnos was successful in doing what it wanted to do. Said Brown: It showed on the scoreboard today. We had lots of 3s.
"It really comes down to defence against them."
Cathedral's overall record is 24-5 this season while the Titans have a mark of 13-6.
In other games, the St. Thomas More Knights topped the St. John Henry Newman Cardinals, 55-27, the Bishop Ryan Celtics downed the St. Mary Crusaders, 81-51, and the St. Jean de Brébeuf Braves defeated the ACMT Jaguars, 54-50.
Photos by Bob Butrym
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