The Cavaliers men’s basketball team defeated the Gwynedd-Mercy Griffins 92-70 on Friday, Feb. 25, to win their second straight CSAC championship. The victory also guarantees Cabrini a spot in this year’s NCAA tournament.
Sophomore guard Cory Lemons led the way for Cabrini with 33 points and was named the game’s most valuable player. Lemons also compiled seven assists and seven rebounds en route to the award, the second year in a row that he has won it.
Senior forward Dom Farrello gathered 11 rebounds and added seven points for the Cavaliers in the win. Sophomore guard A.J. Williams scored six points off the bench and pulled down three rebounds.
“We definitely have an offensive-minded team,” Farrello said. “The key [for our success this year] was buying into defense.”
Cabrini held a 43-25 halftime lead and never looked back. At one point in the second half, the Cavs held an 88-54 lead over the Griffins, their largest of the game.
“Everybody shared the ball tonight,” head coach Marcus Kahn said. “We stuck to the basics and kept it simple and what we did worked.”
Three-pointers played a large part in the Cavaliers’ success throughout the game as they knocked down 14 shots from behind the arc, including eight in the first half.
Junior guard John Boyd and freshman forward Fran Rafferty both contributed 18 points and knocked down four three-pointers apiece.
With the home win, the Cavaliers have now won five straight games against Gwynedd-Mercy College. In games against CSAC opponents, Cabrini has now won 34 straight at Nerney Field House.
“We’ve been here before,” Lamar Fisher, senior guard, said. “We knew what it took and we really wanted to win.”
After winning its 10th CSAC championship, the Cavaliers participated in the traditional ceremony of cutting down the nets.
Every coach and player on the Cavs got the chance to cut down a little piece of history from the Friday night title game at Nerney Field House.
“We’ve worked all year for this,” Kahn said. “Hopefully this becomes the expectation. So far we are living up to it.”
“It’s a great feeling to win the CSAC championship,” Fisher said. “Now we get to play in the NCAA tournament and try to win that. All of my teammates are happy about it.”
While no NCAA opponent has been determined as of yet, the Cavaliers are looking forward to the possibility of winning a national championship.
“It’s another goal to reach,” Fisher said. “One more.”
