There is never an “easy win” in the Philadelphia Catholic League, and avoiding letdowns can be an obstacle for young teams hoping to compete come playoff time. The Archbishop Carroll Patriots varsity boys basketball team did just that Monday night as they secured a 76-46 win over league bottom feeder Lansdale Catholic.
The Crusaders came into the night 0-10.
Routinely seen as a guaranteed win by the majority of the Catholic League’s teams, LC can always be a threat to steal one from a cocky contender. Nonetheless, despite a slow start to the night, the Pats got the job done.
“We came out a little sloppy and all that,” said freshman forward Munir Greig. “We had to fix it up. Coach yelled at us. But we got West Catholic on Wednesday and then another big one against Judge on Friday.”
Carroll did struggle to get things going early in the first period, a spot where the Pats have thrived as of late. Instead, they fell into an early seven point deficit before climbing back to take a 19-15 lead at the end of the first quarter, and would never look back from that point on.
The Pats had no trouble translating their offensive run into the second quarter as they dropped 15 in the period. The stretch was kick started, however, by Greig, who had a season high 19 points in the win.
Greig, who came in as one of the most highly touted prospects in the nation, being ranked number four in the class of 2027, began his Carroll career on a few low notes. The forward notably struggled to eclipse even the seven point marker in the majority of his team’s games during the early going.
The star forward also dealt with injuries and illness that left him out of the team’s lineup for extended periods of time. The most deafening of all, however, was his struggles with body language and work ethic on the court. Greig would appear lackadaisical and passive during stretches when he or his club weren’t performing, leading to multiple mid-game benchings.
Monday’s win gleamed as a beacon of hope for Greig to get his season back on track, with his best night as a Patriot by far leading his team to the win. The freshman may have gotten hot just at the right time as the playoffs quickly approach.
The second half, and especially the third quarter of Monday night’s game, were imperative for the Pats as they began to really blow Lansdale out of the water, finishing the third period with a 59-29 lead and then extending that margin in the fourth. The Pats would eventually finish the night by emptying the bench for the final few minutes and enjoying a 40-point victory over a Catholic League opponent as they head into their final two games of the year.
“We just need to stay on track,” said sophomore forward Luca Foster. “Just keep playing the game, play together and we’re going to get the wins.”
With the win, Carroll moves to 6-5 in the Catholic League while Lansdale falls to 0-11. The Pats will host the Burrs of West Catholic next on Wednesday, back in the East Gym for a 6 pm tipoff.
“Every game is a playoff game,” said Carroll head coach Francis Bowe. “Have that mentality and good things will happen but we’re bought in and we’re locked in. I’m happy.”
