Ben Lippen’s Derek Snelgrove tries to get by Cardinal Newman’s Matt Erdman. Photo by Jim Marczesky The Ben Lippen Falcons used a 23–3 run at the start of the game to defeat the host Cardinal Newman Cardinals 61–45 on Tuesday, January 12.

The Falcons (12–4, 2–0) started the game on an 11–0 run, keyed by nine points by Derek Snelgrove. At the end of the first quarter, Ben Lippen had a 15–3 lead. The Falcons pushed the lead to 23–3 in the second quarter before the Cardinals (9–8, 0–2) countered with an 11–1 run of their own to make the game somewhat competitive.

Colbern Gatling scored the last nine points of the second quarter for Cardinal Newman including a three–pointer just before the buzzer that cut the Falcons’ lead to 29–19 going into the locker rooms.

The Cardinals cut the lead to seven at the end of the third quarter behind six points from Michael Maracich. After an Austin Ajukwa layup at the beginning of the fourth quarter, Cardinal Newman trailed only 37–32. But the shorthanded Cardinals, playing without both of their top point guards and one of their starting forwards, could get no closer. The Falcons’ top scorer, Mitchell Deter, finally got going in the final period, scoring 10 of his 14 points in the frame to help Ben Lippen to its final victory margin.

Ben Lippen’s Mitchell Deter dr ibbles up court against Cardinal Newman. Photo by Jim Marczesky Snelgrove and Drew Fraley each scored nine points for the balanced Falcon scoring attack. Gatling paced the Cardinals with 13 points, and Maracich added 11.

Ben Lippen travels to Hammond on Friday, January 15, while Cardinal Newman travels to Augusta Christian.