(Photo by Elliott Jerge @elliottjjerge)
For a little over two quarters, Canisius and St. Joe's were about as even as two teams could be. The lead changed ten different times during that span as the momentum continuously shifted. It looked like the rivalry game might deliver one of its more storied chapters, and then LaTerrance Reed abruptly changed the tone of the game, taking control for the Crusaders.
Reed scored 22 of his game-high 24 points in the second half to help build a lead for Canisius that they were able to protect down the stretch, in a 71-60 win over the Marauders. The win was the seventh straight for Canisius over its Monsignor Martin rivals.
After Canisius took a 31-30 lead to the locker room, the Marauders regained the advantage early in the third quarter when Grant Beyer knocked one down from beyond the arc, making it 37-34. After Reed and Stafford Trueheart took turns hitting free throws to tie the game at 37, the LT show began.
Reed took a pass on the wing and struck from downtown. Just 13 seconds later, from the exact same spot, he did it again. After a stop by the Crusaders, Reed tried the other side. With barely enough time to catch the ball, he let it fly and watched it drop perfectly through the net. The barrage of treys gave Canisius a 46-37 lead, the first substantial advantage either team had enjoyed to that point. Two minutes later, for good measure, Reed buried another to cap a 14-point quarter.
Two minutes into the final stanza, Reed hit his fifth of the second half from downtown to spark a 10-3 Canisius run that erased any hope St. Joe's had of a comeback. At that point, the Crusaders had a 12-point lead with just three minutes to go.
"He's our leader", Canisius coach Kyle Husband said. "Every big game, he keeps stepping up. He plays with great energy - his passion for the game is unbelievable and when he starts going like that, I think our guys feed off that energy - they start running the floor a little harder".
Trueheart finished with 15 points and Justin Jones added 13 points.
Marcell Davis led St. Joe's with 19 points, Grant Beyer scored 15 points, and Nick Motley added 10 points.
-centercourt
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