ROSS LEVEL
Senior scores 13 points as Crusaders come back from late 8-point deficit against St. Laurence
Playing in the Catholic League is everything Khalil Ross thought it would be.
When he transferred last season from Lincoln-Way East to Brother Rice, Ross wanted to ratchet up the intensity of his game, and the Catholic League is providing that.
“Bigger games, bigger crowds, bigger environment,” Ross said of what he likes about playing in the CCL for the Crusaders. “There is more competition, to be honest.
“Every game is a battle, no matter where you are at and who you are playing.”
That was evident Tuesday night in Chicago. Ross scored 13 points and added a pair of blocked shots as host Brother Rice rallied for a 55-44 win in a Catholic League crossover.
Sophomore-heavy St. Laurence (15-9, 3-5) led by as many as eight points in the fourth quarter before Ross, a 6-foot-7 senior forward, and the Crusaders (21-3, 7-2) roared back.
Niagra recruit Ahmad Henderson actually led Brother Rice with 14 points, including 12 in the fourth. Ten of those points came after he was whistled for his fourth foul.
Ross took just one 3-pointer in the game and it was a big one with 38 seconds left in the first half, forcing a 25-25 tie. He also had a monster slam dunk with 3:45 left in the game.
That pulled the Crusaders within 40-38. They outscored the Vikings 17-4 the rest of the way. Which did he like best? “The slam,” Ross said. “The crowd was behind me and it felt good to get that dunk. I knew Pete (McShane) was going to give me the ball and I had to put it down.”
But the 3-pointer also was big as the Crusaders avoided going into