Spartans outlast rival Vikings in final seconds to advance to CAL tournament championship game

By GIUSEPPE UNGARO Managing Editor GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP — An Atlantic City vs. Holy Spirit boys basketball game came down to the final seconds for the second time in nine days. However, this time it was the Spartans who stormed the court in victory after winning 61-60 at Absegami on Friday to advance to Saturday’s Cape-Atlantic League Tournament final. Holy Spirit, the No. 3 seed, will take on top-seeded St. Augustine at 2 p.m. at Richard Stockton University. The Hermits cruised past Wildwood Catholic, 72-50, in the other semifinal. The Spartans and Vikings already played two close games this season, with the Vikings winning both times — including a 54-53 win on Feb. 18 — but the Spartans won the much-anticipated third installment with an opportunity to play for the CAL title at stake. “It means a whole lot,” Holy Spirit’s John Middleton said. “We haven’t gotten to the CAL championship in so long, but now we made it. We knew they couldn’t beat us three times in a row. We knew it would be hard, and we knew we couldn’t let it happen again.” The semifinals included six lead changes in the first half, but the Spartans took the lead for good midway through the third quarter. However, the outcome was in question until the final buzzer. Holy Spirit’s Jordan Taylor drives on Atlantic City’s Leon Daniels during the teams’ matchup earlier this month. On Friday night, Taylor scored 21 points to help lead the Spartans past the Vikings 61-60 and into the Cape-Atlantic League tournament championship game. (Glory Days Magazine photo/Dave O’Sullivan) Holy Spirit led 45-36 with 6 minutes, 21 seconds left in the game, but kept Atlantic City in the game with poor foul shooting. The Spartans missed their final three foul shots in the last 15 seconds, setting the stage for a Vikings’ comeback bid. Atlantic City’s Kevin Allen, who finished with a team-high 17 points, nailed a 3-pointer from just left of the top of the key to make it a 61-60 game with six seconds left. After two missed free throws, the Vikings’ Lamar Thomas drove to the basket in the waning seconds, absorbed contact in the lane, but his shot rattled off the rim. The Spartans corralled the rebound to seal the win. Holy Spirit was 5-for-18 from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter, including 2-for-7 in the final minute.  However, the Vikings couldn’t take advantage. Spirit’s Jordan Taylor led all scorers with 21. Tyler Jones added 18, including eight in the fourth quarter, and Middleton chipped in with 14. “Last time we lost, we knew we were going to see them again, but we were going to wear blue (away uniforms) instead of white,” Jones said. “We came to play and everyone played hard.” As expected, the rivalry game included a high level of defensive effort and emotions. Every shot was contested and every rebound was battled over. Players had to be separated twice, and one confrontation — a face-to-face between Atlantic City’s Aishon Centino and Holy Spirit’s Taylor — ended with a push and a punch. Taylor pushed Centino away, and the Vikings junior responded with a right to Taylor’s face. Both players received technical fouls with 2:31 left in the game. It was Centino’s fifth and final foul, and Vikings coach Gene Allen grabbed his player and pushed him toward the locker room. At the time of the incident, the Spartans led by three, but the Vikings, who were already without the services of injured senior Laceon Redfurn, had to play the rest of the game without another starter. Leon Daniels, another starter, fouled out 30 seconds later. The Spartans’ Middleton and Jones also fouled out in the final minutes. With key teammates out of the game, Kevin Allen, who got sick at halftime and during a fourth quarter timeout, helped keep the Vikings in the game, scoring seven of his team’s final 11 points. “This game was a preparation game for us,” Kevin said. “We are trying to get ready for next week (playoffs). We have bigger goals than the league (title).” NOTES: The semifinal matchup came after allegations were made that some Spartans fans used racially-insensitive costumes to distract Atlantic City fans during a game earlier this month. It’s a charge Holy Spirit officials and coach Jamie Gillespie vehemently denied before and after Friday night’s game. The students used a curtain in the bleachers directly in the view of opposing foul shooters. When the player was about to shoot, the curtain opened and fans were dressed in outlandish costumes meant to distract the shooter. The students dressed in various costumes including a bee suit, but also a monkey and a banana, which were the costumes that angered some at Atlantic City. The referees and school were notified that the behavior should have been stopped. Holy Spirit officials and coach Gillespie conceded the conduct may have been against league and CAL sportsmanship rules, but deny that it had racist connotation. Contact Giuseppe Ungaro: gungaro@acglorydays.com; on Twitter @GDgisepu [adsense]