Jesuit Defeats the Raiders 61-39 in the Second Game of District Play

Will Landrieu hits his first of four 3-pointers on the night. This one is shot from the wing during the 1st Quarter of play. Landrieu finished with a game-high 16 points in the Jays’ victory over Rummel.

The Jesuit basketball team continued district play on Tuesday night with a commanding victory at Archbishop Rummel. Although the team out-performed the Raiders in nearly every aspect of the game, the key factor in securing the 61-39 rout was shooting the 3-pointer at nearly 50%.

View the Jesuit vs. Rummel Basketball Photo Gallery

The scoring for the Jays in the first half was balanced among players, and it was frequent. Zach Deblieux knocked down the first shot from behind the arc one minute into the game, and Will Landrieu and Michael Hull added their 3-point marksmanship to the first quarter tally. Hull’s second long-range ball beat the 1st Quarter buzzer to give Jesuit a comfortable lead at 23-12.

Jesuit simply worked hard to get better shots from the field. The time-of-possession was squarely in the Jays’ favor as the team operated its patented motion offense to help players shoot in rhythm. Rummel, on the other hand, seemed to be forcing 3-pointers too early in their offensive sets, and their frustration was due largely to the Jays’ heavy defensive pressure.

Michael Hull locks down the Rummel point guard in the first half. Jesuit limited Rummel to shooting 30% from the field.

At the start of the 2nd Quarter, DeBlieux rang up another 3-pointer, and the diligent attack on both sides of the ball sent the Jays into the locker room at halftime with twice as many points as the Raiders and leading by 17.

Rummel tried to rattle the Jays at the beginning of the 3rd Quarter with full-court pressure on defense, but the Jays refused to let themselves be fazed. The Jays tacked on 17 more points in the quarter, including three more 3-pointers by Will Landrieu. Landrieu was the leading scorer with 16 points and was perfect from behind the arc (4-4).

With a lead of 28 points at the end of the 3rd Quarter, victory was a foregone conclusion, and the Jays notched their second district win at 61-39. Elijah Morgan, though quiet from 3-point land, still posted 15 points of his own in the victory. Deblieux, Hull, and Drew Black each added 8.

Although the high shooting percentage led the way to victory, head basketball coach Chris Jennings ’78 believes that success on offense is made possible with good defense. “It starts defensively with us,” Jennings told his team after the game. “Defense sets the tone for us, and as long as we can keep up that intensity throughout the game, things will continue to open up for us on offense.”

This is the Jays’ fourth straight win, and with a record of 13-3 (2-0), teams are setting their sights on the Blue Jays as the early games of district play unfold. The Jays look to improve their record on Friday night at Holy Cross. Tip off is set for 7:00 PM.

Read More…

The Advocate – Jesuit invades Rummel’s homecourt and come away with a 61-39 win

NOLA.com – Jesuit 61, Rummel 39: Precise passing fuels Blue Jays to Catholic League victory