Notre Dame fizzles out in first-round loss
LAWRENCEVILLE >> Bob Fisicaro could not have enjoyed a better return to Route 206.
A standout guard for Rider in the mid-1990s and a current assistant for the Bishop Eustace boys basketball team, Fisicaro took over as bench coach Tuesday night and guided the 10th-seeded Crusaders to a 53-35 victory over seventh-seeded Notre Dame in an NJSIAA South Jersey Non-Public A first-round game.
The Irish (20-5) ended their season with consecutive losses in the county and state tournaments while Eustace advances to play 2nd-seeded Paul VI.
The Crusaders head coach, Bob Falconiero, has missed some games due to health issues and Fisicaro, whose Eustace’s all-time scoring record was recently surpassed, has taken over.
“It’s exciting for me to help support coach Falconiero, he’s still the head coach,” Fisicaro said. “As for the kids, it was certainly special to be coaching them right down the street from where Rider is and where I spent a great deal of my years.”
The Crusaders (14-12) played outstanding defense, holding ND to under 40 points for the only time this year. Mike Kane, one of the Colonial Valley Conference’s top players, was held to four points and seven shots, while 3-point specialist Justin Yu was limited to two points.
“We had a good game plan,” Fisicaro said. “We had two days to prepare. Kane is a real good player. We have three or four real aggressive defenders. We tried to switch on most screens. The game plan was to put a body on him and not give him space, because he’s a really good player.”
The Crusaders mediocre record is the product of playing in a tough Olympic Conference in South Jersey. Eustace led from start to finish, hitting its first six shots and rolling to a 14-2 lead after one quarter.
“We have not started well all year long,” Fisicaro said. “We scripted our first three or four offenses and our kids came out and executed. We’re playing our best basketball right now.”
It was quickly apparent Mattia Morini, a 6-7 forward from Italy, would provide matchup issues. He could post up and shoot 3-pointers, as well as dish off when double teamed. Morini scored five of his 21 in the initial quarter and made some nice passes as well.
“This is his second year,” Fisicaro said. “He’s our best player, he’s really skilled, he can do a lot of things and is a tough match-up for a lot of teams.”
Eustace extended its advantage to 2410 at halftime as Notre Dame shot just 4-for-17 in the first 16 minutes. When the Irish did get open looks, shots did not fall.
“I don’t think anything they did was that special,” said guard Leon Jones Jr., who led the Irish with 13 points. “I think we got psyched out. It was only our second time being back in the state playoffs. Our guys looked a little nervous starting the game off, shots weren’t going down. Once we got in a groove the shots started to go down and everyone got their confidence but it was too late.”
The groove was short-lived, as Notre Dame’s most sustained run was 12-5, which pulled it within 35-24 late in the third quarter. Eustace responded with seven straight to put it away. The Irish could never challenge after falling behind 19-3.
“I was trying to do the best I could to fire my team up, to let them know we belong here, we’re supposed to be here,” Jones said. “I just did the best I could to get them back in the game but as you can, see, it wasn’t there.”
BISHOP EUSTACE (53)
Morini 9-1-21, Cross 4-1-10, Kempter 2-1-5, McCaffery 2-0-6, Tomasco 2-0-4, Swallow 2-3-7. Totals: 21-6-53
NOTRE DAME (35)
Kane 2-0-4, Yu 1-0-2, Autrey 1-0-2, Jones 4-3-13, Weber 0-1-1, Daly 2-0-5, Graver 3-2-8. Totals: 13-6-35 Bishop Eustace (14-12) 14 10 13 16 — 53
Notre Dame (20-5) 281411—34
3-point goals: Morini 2, Cross, McCaffery 2, Jones 2, Daly.
Follow Rich Fisher on twitter @fish4scores