It was loud in the East Gym for the Archbishop Carroll varsity boys basketball home opener win over Conrad Science, and rightfully so.
The jampacked Carroll crowd, highlighted by a raucous student section, stood witness to the Patriots’ 79-41 blowout win over the Red Wolves.
“They give us more energy to go,” said sophomore forward Nasir Ralls. “They give us a boost and put a smile on our faces so we know that we’re doing it for them.”
The energy was felt on and off the court, as it didn’t take all too long for the Pats to start rolling in the first half.
After getting out to an early 10-8 deficit, head coach Francis Bowe called a timeout. Following the stoppage, the Pats would rekindle and go on a run, outscoring Conrad 18-3 and taking a commanding 26-13 lead into the second quarter.
The Pats continued to pour it on in the second period as they once again outscored Conrad — this time 27-10 — as the offense found their rhythm. Ralls got hot at the right time, draining a couple of huge threes to extend the Patriot lead.
Ralls, who saw time mainly as a sixth man for the Patriots last season, has come into his own in his sophomore year. The young guard earned a starting spot before the season and has run with it ever since, becoming a staple in an ever-growing Carroll offense.
As Ralls began to cool down in the third quarter, a fiery transition game emerged. Fueled by sophomore guard Ian Williams’ ball handling, the Patriots began to put the team from Wilmington, Dela., away in the second half with a strong barrage of alley-oop dunks that got the Carroll faithful on their feet.
Following a couple of big buckets, Williams hawked down the ball, getting a sneaky steal. The young guard ran the floor and flipped it to a windborne Luca Foster for a highlight reel slam. The Pats would proceed to replicate the play a few more times before night’s end.
Foster, who mainly served as a swing for the Pats last season, has become a top option while starting for the Patriots early on. The 6’5 forward picked up offers from Temple University, St. Joe’s, and Penn State in the offseason while boosting his stock at showcases across the region.
The young Foster has also made his name as a team player, never shying away from making the unselfish pass, or passing up a big-time bucket for a more reliable shot.
“I love this team, and we love playing together,” said Foster. “We’re really just becoming a great team. We’re all young and everybody loves playing for each other.”
As the fourth quarter closed, the Pats never shied away from adding to their lead. Carroll held a nearly 40-point lead with just two minutes to go in the game, putting an exclamation mark on a huge night from this young Patriots club.
“There has been a lot of buzz about us around the school, and we knew that,” said Bowe. “We just wanted to come out and perform at a high level for the fans, but at the same time don’t disrespect the opponent, and play a quality brand of basketball.”
With the win, the Patriots move to 3-0 on the young season and will look to keep the hot start going on Friday night when they head up to Exeter High School for a matchup with Exeter in the City of Basketball Love Showcase at 8:30 p.m.