On Friday, the Archbishop Ryan Raiders and Ragdolls faced the Neumann-Goretti Saints in a battle between two of the state's top teams. Archbishop Ryan was just a bucket shy of victory and fell 60-59 to the Saints. Archbishop Ryan's defeat signaled the end of their four-game winning streak.
Despite the loss, Archbishop Ryan still got an impressive performance from Thomas Sorber, who dropped a double-double on 25 points and 16 rebounds. Sorber hasn't dropped below eight rebounds for 15 straight games. The team also got some help courtesy of Rocco Morabito, who scored eight points along with eight rebounds.
Neumann-Goretti's win was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Torrey Brooks Jr., who scored 25 points along with five assists and five rebounds. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Brooks Jr. has scored all season. Another player making a difference was Larenzo Jerkins, who scored 12 points along with eight rebounds and three blocks.
Archbishop Ryan's defeat ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 10-7. As for Neumann-Goretti, their victory was their ninth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 16-0.
Both teams will have to hit the road in their upcoming games. Archbishop Ryan's road trip will continue as they head out to face the Crusaders at 7:00 p.m. on January 29th. One thing working in Father Judge's favor is that they have posted big point totals every time they've taken the court this season. As for Neumann-Goretti, they will head out on the road to challenge the Cahillite at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are closely ranked in the nation (Roman Catholic is ranked 67th, while the Saints are ranked 68th).
