Crusaders capture rivalry game
The Chicago area is rife with high-scoring guards. Every team has a hotshot athlete averaging more than 15 points who thinks he’s the next big thing.
Brother Rice senior Marquise Kennedy, a Loyola recruit, is at a completely different level. His shot-blocking ability is freakish, his defensive instincts are razor-sharp and he’s an efficient scorer.
‘‘It’s so unique, even at the high-major [college] level,’’ Crusaders coach Bobby Frasor said. ‘‘He does so much on the court, it is unexplainable. He can be so good; he can be way better than he is. He does things that not many guards do on the college level. He’s very gifted. He’s blocking three-pointers, blocking at the rim. He’s so springy, it is crazy. He’s leading us literally in every statistical category, which is insane.’’
Host Brother Rice needed every bit of Kennedy’s talents to eke out a 76-72 victory Tuesday against rival Marist.
The Crusaders (15-6) led by one at halftime, but Kennedy stepped up offensively and defensively in the third quarter. His steal and dunk with 2:20 left in the third gave Brother Rice a 12-point cushion.
‘‘They were physical,’’ Kennedy said. ‘‘I had to elevate my game to show that they can’t guard me.’’
Kennedy finished with 28 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. He shot 7-for-10 from the field.
‘‘Our first-half defense was pretty bad,’’ Kennedy said. ‘‘They were scoring almost every possession. Second half, we had to pick it up. We fought, got some turnovers and fast-break points to spread the gap.’’
The RedHawks (10-11) surged back behind 15 points in the fourth quarter from senior Dorion Pendleton, who led Marist with 20. He made two free throws with 3:42 left to tie the score at 61.
But the Crusaders came through in the clutch. Senior Anthony Arquilla made two big baskets, and junior Deandre Hagan converted a key three-point play with 2:28 left to put Brother Rice ahead by four.
‘‘In a one-point game, for him to get an offensive rebound, go up and score and get fouled, that was my favorite play,’’ Frasor said. ‘‘I was flexing over here on the sideline. That was a big-time play by Deandre, and I’m excited to see him maturing.’’
Pendleton made a three-pointer with eight seconds left to cut the Crusaders’ lead to 74-72, but Kennedy made two free throws with 7.5 seconds left to seal the victory.
Hagan scored 21 points. He was 6-for-7 from three-point range.
‘‘When he is feeling it, he is feeling it,’’ Frasor said. ‘‘He’s a very streaky shooter, and tonight he was on the right side of the streak. He hit everything.’’
Arquilla added 12 points and nine rebounds and senior Jimmy Gavin 10 points for Brother Rice.
‘‘That was the best [Hagan] has ever shot; that was amazing,’’ Kennedy said. ‘‘[Marist] kept fighting. The key was the crowd and our energy. Both sides were punching hard, but we came back.’’
Nile Hill added 16 points and Jabari Hill, an athletic 6-3 sophomore, 10 points and five rebounds for the RedHawks.
‘‘I would have liked to close it out a little bit better, but it is a rivalry game,’’ Frasor said. ‘‘They ran good stuff and got open. It was a fun Brother Rice-Marist game, and I’m glad we were on the right end of it.’’