Unbeaten Cadets get big play from big man DeLollo
La Salle tops Catholic Central to improve to 4-0
TROY, N.Y. » Joe DeLollo can get a shot off whenever he wants. And with his shooting touch, the 6-foot-9 senior is a threat from anywhere in the offensive end.
DeLollo isn’t a gunner though. When his shot isn’t falling, he finds other ways to impact that game. That unselfishness was on display in La Salle’s 54- 35 victory over Catholic Central Friday night in a Colonial Council contest at Catholic Central’s gym.
The victory was the fourth straight for the Cadets to open the season — all by 15-plus points.
The heart of La Salle this season is three three-year varsity starters — DeLollo, Ian Duncan and Raymond Evans.
Whenever the group is on the floor together, the Cadets’ continuity on both ends of the floor seems to pick up. That was the case Friday when the visitors jumped out to a comfortable 25-9 lead at the half. The victory never seemed in doubt but there were times in the second half when the Crusaders went on mini runs.
Not against the Cadets starters, however.
“Ian, Ray and Joe have spoiled us because they’ve been so good the last three years,” La Salle coach Steve Sgambelluri said. “Like any team we’ve got a long way to go, we’ve got a lot of work to do. We’ve got to make sure we stay hungry. Our first five showed how good we can be by coming back to get that balance we really needed.”
At the center of everything is DeLollo. As a sophomore, the 6-foot-6 big man had a lot of learning to do. Three years later and three inches taller — DeLollo now stands 6-foot-9 as a senior — he’s become one of the most complete players in the area.
“I’m a little biased because I’m his coach but I’ve never seen a player as good as him not get the credit that he deserves,” Sgambelluri said. “He impacts every possession. He does so much that doesn’t show up in the stats.”
DeLollo’s shot was a little off in the first half against Catholic Central. In fact he didn’t score. However, the rest of his defensive and rebounding skills helped his team to a big lead.
He made up for it after the break with three 3- pointers in the third quarter and layup on an alley- oop feed. “I got other guys looks once I realized I didn’t have my shot,” DeLollo said of the first half. “Luckily in the second half I bounced back. I try not to force anything. Whatever it takes to get the job done.”
While the lefty’s stroke from 3-point range is impressive he also showed off a turn-around from the left block that few defenders in Section II will get close to contesting.
“My AAU coach stressed inside- out but also made sure you can (shoot) from outside so you’re versatile,” DeLollo said of his range. “I kept working on that and eventually it just clicked.”
DeLollo finished as the game’s high scorer with 15 points, followed by Duncan with 12 points, Seth LaForest with nine and Evans had seven.
Matt Otis made three 3s in the second half to lead Catholic Central with nine points.
“They’re very good,” Crusaders coach Jay Mahoney. “My kids played hard in the second half. Every day is another day to learn and get better.”
LaSalle will host Lansingburgh on Tuesday in a game that could help decided the eventual Colonial Council championship.
“We have a tough couple games coming up but the sky is the limit,” DeLollo said of the team’s potential. “We’ve been aggressive from Game 1 to now and we keep getting better. We’ll see where we’re going to be at in February.”