Simmons scores 28, La Salle holds off Father Judge for 5th straight win

SPRINGFIELD >> The 15-point lead the La Salle boys basketball team held in the third quarter was gone midway through the fourth, visiting Father Judge rallying to pull even at 58 after Kevin Beck drained a 3-pointer from the right wing.

But if it seemed the game was slipping away from the Explorers, Horace Simmons did not feel any pressure as he took a pass from Nix Varano behind the top of the arc.

“I just got the ball in my spot and I’m thinking no hesitation,” Simmons said. “They gave me too much space, I shot it, hit it. Really wasn’t much more thought than that.”

Simmons hit nothing but net to give La Salle back the lead, the junior’s fifth and final three of the Philadelphia Catholic League contest the start of a 9-0 run that enabled the Explorers to hold off the Crusaders’ charge and earn a 74-64 victory Friday night.

“When they tied it I feel like we just kept our composure,” Simmons said. “We didn’t let it make us panic or none and just kept our heads and took the lead and just kept going from there.”

Simmons finished with a game-high 28 points, combining his long-range efforts by going 9-of-10 on free throws – making his first seven at the line – to help La Salle (11-4, 4-2 PCL) pick up a fifth consecutive win.

“I feel like I started off hot and just kept running after that,” said Simmons, who had 17 points in the first half.

Nix Varano hit a trio of 3-pointers in totaling 19 points for the Explorers while Chris Williams added nine points with Sam Brown scoring all eight of his points after halftime.

“I feel like our offense, we move the ball real well, everybody touches the ball, we got a lot of balance, a lot of good scorers,” Simmons said. “So nobody really has to dominate the ball for us to be successful.”

Kyle Jones led Judge with 26 points, knocking down three 3-pointers and also converting three 3-point plays.

“I feel like mainly on ball screen coverage, that’s where we were struggling a lot with him,” Simmons said. “But he’s definitely a real good player but we were able to hold him in check enough to get the W.”

Kevair Kennedy scored all 15 of his points in the second half, 10 coming in the third while Mike McCusker chipped in 10 points as the Crusaders (7-8, 2-6) lost their fourth straight.

Both teams stay in PCL play for games 7 p.m. Monday, La Salle visiting St. Joseph’s Prep while Father Judge hosts Roman Catholic.

The Explorers have not lost since dropping their first two Catholic League games to West Catholic and Cardinal O’Hara. After topping Conwell-Egan and Lansdale Catholic, La Salle began this week with a 69-65 overtime win over Devon Prep Sunday then beat Abington Friends 59-37 in a nonleague matchup Wednesday.

“I feel like we’ve just been playing together, playing as a team and everyone’s on the same page,” Simmons said. “I feel like when we’re all playing together as a unit that’s when we’re at our best.”

A Joe Shields corner 3-pointer had La Salle up 47-32 in the third but Father Judge had the margin to eight at the end of the quarter – Kennedy connecting on a three before buzzer to cut the Explorers’ advantage to 50-42.

Varano drove down the lane for a layup to give La Salle a 56-47 lead but Judge proceeded to put together an 11-2 run to knot things at 58.

After Jones’ three-point play at 5:06, Brown hit two free throws at 4:36 to have the Explorers up 58-50 but McCusker buried a three to get the Crusaders within five.

McCusker came up with a backcourt steal and missed on his shot but Kennedy was there for the rebound, scored and drew the foul at 4:03 to make it 58-55.

Beck’s triple with 4:03 remaining off a Kennedy assist had Judge level for the first time since 13-13 in the opening quarter.

“I think we just had a drought, we had a bad little stretch but we didn’t let it affect the whole game,” Simmons said. “And put it behind us and just finished the game up.”

Simmons’ three, however, gave La Salle a 61-58 edge. A Williams steal and breakaway layup made it 63-58 with Judge called for a technical foul after the basket, resulting in two Varano free throws at 2:35 for a seven-point lead.

After the Crusaders missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 2:28 left, Simmons scored down low to put the Explorers up 67-58.

A Jones three-point play off a drive made it 67-61 at 1:12. With 52.1 seconds, Simmons hit the first of a 1-and-1, missed the second but Williams grabbed the rebound and got the ball to Simmons, who was fouled at 49.2 seconds and made two at the line.

Kennedy’s putback after he missed the second of two free throws had Judge down 70-64 with 40.8 seconds but La Salle scored the final four points.

A 15-5 run gave La Salle a 35-24 lead in the second quarter before two Jones foul shots at 39.6 seconds made it 35-26 at halftime.

In the third, Brown’s steal and breakaway slam had the Explorers up 41-30 with a Varano trey extending the advantage to 14. Shields’ three off a Brown assist gave La Salle its biggest lead of the night at 47-32.

“Our mentality was keep our foot on their throat and don’t let up,” Simmons said.” Even though they ended up tying it up, we still ended up able to finish it out, so that was definitely a good win for us.”

Kennedy scored five straight to get Judge within 47-37 before Simmons knocked down a three. But a Jones jumper and Kennedy’s trey at the buzzer had the Crusaders trailing 50-42 heading to the fourth.

A Jones three had Judge down five at 52-47 before baskets from Williams and Varano pushed La Salle’s lead to 56-47.

La Salle never trailed Friday with the Crusaders tying the contest twice – the first at 13-13 when Jones found Anthony Lilly inside for a layup. Varano’s basket on a drive put La Salle ahead 15-13 after the first quarter.

A McCusker layup off a backcourt steal had Judge down 22-19 but Williams and Simmons both went 2-for-2 at the line, increasing the Explorers’ lead to five. Jones hit a floater only for a Williams three and Williams’ transition basket off a steal to put La Salle up 29-21.

Jones’ three-point play at 2:07 had the Crusaders within 29-24 but La Salle tallied the next six – four on Simmons free throws – for a 35-24 lead with 48.1 seconds before the break. 

La Salle 74, Father Judge 64
Father Judge 13 13 16 22 – 64
La Salle 15 20 15 24 – 74
Father Judge: Kyle Jones 9 5-5 26; Kevair Kennedy 6 1-4 15; Mike McCusker 4 1-1 10; Anthony Lilly 2 0-0 4; Kevin Beck 1 0-1 3; Jalen Flowers 1 0-0 3; Tearran Peete 1 1-2 3; Totals 24 8-13 64.
La Salle: Horace Simmons 7 9-10 28; Nix Varano 6 4-4 19; Chris Williams 3 3-4 9; Sam Brown 2 4-5 8; Tim Jennings 3 0-0 6; Joe Shields 1 0-0 3; Ryan Sorge 0 1-2 1; Totals 22 21-25 74.
3-pointers: FJ-Jones 3, Kennedy 2, Beck, Flowers, McCusker; L-Simmons 5, Varano 3, Shields.