It’s sure to be another SRO crowd at Alumni Hall tomorrow night when Sacred Heart hosts Crosby in a big boys basketball matchup at 7 o’clock.
The Bulldogs will be trying to do something no one has done in several years — knock off the Hearts. Sacred Heart is 7-0 and ranked No. 1 in the GameTimeCT/New Haven Register boys hoop poll. Crosby is 6-1 and ranked No. 8 in the same poll.
Here’s a tale of the tape:
Sacred Heart
Record: 6-0
Average points per game: @94.57
Average margin of victory: 41
Leading scorers (via Waterbury Republican-American): Mustapha Heron, 31.6 ppg; Tyrn Flowers, 19.7; Raheem Solomon, 11.1; Charles Fisher, 10.6; J.T. Riddick, 8.9
What makes this team so good: A lot of things, really. The Hearts have an absurd amount of length, which makes them very difficult to deal when they’re on defense or hitting the backboards. There’s also a ton of talent on this team, led by D-I commits Heron and Flowers (just committed to UMass). Fisher is a solid leader, Solomon can also score, and Riddick is another tall body the Hearts can throw in the paint.
If you want to run, this team will do it, and a lot of times they will do it better. It will take a phenomenal performance to beat this team.
Crosby
Record: 6-1
Average points per game: @85.28
Average margin of victory: @28.83
Leading scorers (via stats reported to MaxPreps.com): Jordan Booker, 24.3 ppg; Jeremiah Kendall, 17.3; Tyairus Sands 15.0 (3 games); Roary Jadusingh, 10.7; Dayquain Sinisterra, 10.0; Daniel Jones, 9.0
What makes Crosby good: The Bulldogs have plenty of people who can score the basketball, led by Booker. Crosby got Sands back for the Holy Cross game, great timing given it gave him the chance to get a game under his belt before Sacred Heart.
The Bulldogs love to play up-tempo, but that’s the exact way the Hearts want to go about their business. Still, Crosby isn’t a team to back down, so don’t expect them to start now.
Here’s what happened last season:
Thursday, Jan. 15, 2015 — Sacred Heart 91, Crosby 60, at Sacred Heart HS
Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2015 — Sacred Heart 73, Crosby 66, at Crosby High School
Wednesday, March 4, 2015 — Sacred Heart 68, Crosby 66 — Heron’s shot at buzzer won it
This has potential to be another city classic. As with the Kennedy game last Friday, GET TO ALUMNI HALL EARLY TOMORROW!!!
