Lions Ledger: Saint Leo Basketball Resumes on New Year’s Eve; Lions Return to SSC Action Friday and Sunday

Dec 29, 2021

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RECORDS: Saint Leo 5-5, 1-2 SSC | PBA 4-8, 2-2 SSC | Barry 8-1, 2-1 SSC
Saint Leo is back at home in the Bowman Center after a tough 96-93 overtime loss to Cedarville on Sat. Dec. 18 during the Mocs Christmas Classic. With their sights set on returning to the win column in day two in Lakeland, the Lions' plans were interrupted against Le Moyne as the game was canceled due to Covid-19 protocols. Despite the one game tournament, Frank Webb Jr. was named the Sunshine State Conference Defensive Player of the Week, earning his second defensive nod of the season, his career's third. The Baltimore, Md. native led Saint Leo against Cedarville with seven rebounds, six defensive boards and six steals in addition to his team-high 23 points and six assists. The senior guard went 10-for-19 (.525) from the floor while helping the Lions efforts against the Yellow Jackets.
On the season, Webb Jr. paces the Green and Gold offense with 13.6 points per game (ppg) supported by Wade Coomer (13.1), Jared Coomer (12.9), and Sio Francis (11.1). Just shy of averaging double figure points is Grant Disken with 9.2 ppg. The offense has been dangerous beyond the circle thanks to Wade Coomer and Sio Francis, with 23 and 33 deep buckets, respectively. Meanwhile, Luke Haasl, has stirred things up under the basket with a .660-field goal percentage. Off the glass, Webb Jr. snags an average of 8.3 rebounds per game (rpg).
Frank Webb Jr. leads the SSC in steals with 39, averaging 4.3 per game. In addition, he currently sits as the sixth highest rebounder in the SSC with 75 (12 O - 63 D) after nine games played. Webb Jr. has also earned the league's third most assists count at 52 for an average of 5.8 per game.
Palm Beach Atlantic looks to snap a three-game losing skid after a three-game week played before the Christmas break. On Sunday, Dec. 19, the Sailfish lost at the buzzer as Walsh clinched a 67-65 final in West Palm Beach, Fla. Jules Jasmin led the 'Fish with 20 points, shooting 7-for-13 from the field with four rebounds. Jakob Hester finished with 15 points shooting 4-for-5 from the field and 7-for-9 from the free-throw line with two blocks. Will Lee added 14 points and a team-high seven rebounds and three assists. Marcus Montalvo tallied nine points off the bench with three three-pointers.
On the season, Jules Jasmin leads the offense with 13.0 ppg helped by Will Lee (11.2), and Jakob Hester (9.2). He also helps the 'Fish off the boards with 4.8 rpg following the team's leader, Jalen Cooper, with 4.9 rpg.
Jasmin holds the sixth highest field goal percentage in the SSC with an efficient .531-percent (60-113) after 12 games. On the scoreboard, he makes the leagues' top-25 list at the 24th spot, averaging 13 ppg, 156 total points.
HISTORY: Saint Leo and PBA last met on Sat., Feb. 27, 2021 in West Palm Beach, Fla. Rusty Moorer tied his career-high, 28 points, in route to leading the Lions to a 99-75 road victory over the 'Fish. Current Lions, Jared Coomer (14), Frank Webb Jr. (11), and Cantia Rahming (10) each contributed double digits.
Barry last played on Dec. 12 when the Bucs recorded triple figures over Caldwell, 113-74, inside the Health & Sports Center in Miami Shores, Fla. The Bucs had eight players in double figures, led by 18 points from Amari Haynes. The eight players in double figures match the season-high. Barry also placed eight in double digits against Florida Memorial on Nov. 27.
Nick Anderson, Michael Schaefer, and Jake Kakar each led the offense with double figures averaging 15.4, 15.2, and 15.1, respectively. Anderson has compiled a .508-percent going 31-61 from downtown. Micahel Schaefer has taken on the responsibilities off the rim with 6.3 rpg.
Among the conference, Anderson, Schaefer, and Kakar have each earned a spot on the top-25 scorers. Anderson sits 12th, followed by Schaefer at 15th and Kakar right behind him in the 16th spot. Schaefer is also the 12th highest rebounder while teammates Justinas Marcinkevicius (6.1 rpg), and James Montgomery (5.8 rpg) are 14th and 15th, respectively. Marcinkevicius has also racked up nine blocks averaging one a game as the sixth highest blocker in the league.
HISTORY: Saint Leo defeated Barry twice during the shortened 2020 season. The Lions and Bucs last met on March 16 during the Sunshine State Conference Championship Quarterfinals inside the Bowman Center. The Lions knocked off the Bucs, 67-58, on their way to become the 2020 SSC Tournament Champions. During the regular season, Saint Leo handled Barry 93-73.
Current SSC Standings: Saint Leo: 8 | PBA: 6 | Barry: 4

RECORDS: Saint Leo 7-4, 2-1 SSC | PBA 4-7, 1-3 SSC | Barry 8-1, 3-0 SSC
Saint Leo looks to extend its four-game win streak as the Lions return to Sunshine State Conference action. Before the Christmas break, Kiki McIntyre earned her second career Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week. The honor followed a pair of wins during the Hilton Garden Inn Tampa-Wesley Chapel Classic over the Southern New Hampshire University Penmen (83-79) and the Lake Superior State University Lakers (86-51). McIntyre compiled 37 points, shooting a .625-field goal percentage, 16 rebounds, 10 assists, and seven steals in 65 minutes of work.
On the season, Amanda Ulrich has paced the Green and Gold offense with a team-high average of 18.3 points per game (ppg). She is helped by Ayanna Trigg (11.3), Kiki McIntyre (10.4), and Alex Button (10.1) who also averages double figure scoring. Tori Lesko is just shy of averaging double digits with 9.9 ppg. Inside the paint, Ayanna Trigg has racked up a .649-shooting percentage while Ulrich and Button have kept opponent's busy beyond the circle. Trigg leads the Lions off the window with 8.0 rebounds per game (rpg) followed by Lesko with 6.4 rpg. Meanwhile, McIntyre has registered 30 steals, 31 assists, and four blocks as the team's starting point guard.
Ulrich is the SSC's most dangerous player with the ball. She leads the league in scoring with 18.3 ppg recording 67 field goals, 25 three-pointers, and 42 free throws in 11 games. Ayanna Trigg is also in the top-15 at the 13th spot with 11.3 ppg. Two more Lions are among the top-25 in scoring in Kiki McIntyre in the 19th slot (10.4) and Tori Lesko as the 22nd highest scorer (9.9). Off the boards, Ayanna Trigg has snagged the second highest rebounds in the conference with 80 for an average of 8.0 rebounds per game. The graduate student forward has grabbed 33 offensive and 47 defensive losse balls off the iron. When she isn't helping the Lions' possession game, Trigg has the highest field goal percentage shooting a .649-percent from the floor. Lesko also stands out among the SSC in the assist category at the three spot with 44 assists for an average of 4.4 assists per game. While Lesko, Trigg, and Ulrich are finishing or making plays, at point guard is McIntyre who has tallied the third most steals among SSC compeition with 30, 2.7 steals per game.
Palm Beach Atlantic recorded back-to-back victories before the Christmas break defeating St. Thomas in a tight 61-60 decision and Shaw in another electrifying battle, 71-69. Kash Ayuso was recognized as the Sunshine State Conference Defensive Player of the Week after closing out the week 2-0. In wins against St. Thomas and Shaw, Ayuso averaged 3.5 steals and 2.5 defensive rebounds for a weekly total of 10 and 10, respectively. Offensively, the sophomore averaged 13.0 points and 2.3 assists per game.
On the season, Ayuso leads PBA's offensive efforts averaging 13.4 ppg shooting a .451-percent from the hardwood. Beyond the arc, she is shooting .341-percent going 14-for-41. Teammate, Shekinah Guthrie also averages double digit scoring with 10.9 ppg followed by Sia Williams contributing 9.1 ppg. Guthrie has tallied a team-high 7.2 rpg average for the 'Fish with 35 offensive boards and 30 on the defensive end.
Among conference competition, Kash Ayuso is the sixth highest scorer with her 13.4 ppg while Guthrie is the league's fourth most efficient rebounder with her 7.2 rpg average. In addition to her ability to score, Ayuso sits right behind the Lions' Kiki McIntyre in steals at the fourth spot with 2.4 steals per game, 26 total after 11 games.
HISTORY: Saint Leo and PBA met one time during the shortened 2019-2020 season inside the Marion Bowman Activities Center. The Lions defeated the 'Fish 81-57 propelled by a third quarter offensive burst. Kiki McIntyre paced the Lions with a game-high 14 points and team-high eight rebounds. The rookie point guard was supported by three other Lions scoring in double-digits, including Tori Lesko (12).
Barry returns to action ready to defend a six-game win streak. Before heading to Saint Leo, the Bucs will host the Nova Southeastern Sharks on New Year's Eve. The Bucs earned three non-conference victories before the break against Florida Memorial (96-65), Findlay (71-49), and Dominican (69-63).
Chiara Fusari paces the offense with an average of 12.0 ppg followed by teammates Emma Hergot with 10.8 ppg and Harriet Swindells averaging 10.0 ppg. Off the window, Hergot leads the team with 8.2 rpg. Meanwhile, Trinity Bosecker has given opponents trouble, as she is shooting .500-percent from the floor going 30-for-60 under the basket. She has also racked up 19 blocks.
Fusari (11th), Hergot (15th), Swindells (20th) have each earned spots among the SSC's top scorers while Bosecker is the 11th most dangerous rebounder with her 8.2 rpg. Fusari leads the SSC in steals with 27, averaging three every appearance. Bosecker's blocks are the league's second highest with her 19, 2.1 average.
HISTORY: The seventh-seeded 2019-2020 Saint Leo Lions upset the second-seeded Barry Buccaneers 73-64 in the Sunshine State Conference Tournament Quarterfinals. The Lions overcame a 17-point deficit for the first-round win which was held in the Health and Sports Center. The comeback was led by Amanda Ulrich with 16 points going 5-for-13 from the field sinking four three-pointers and going 2-for-4 at the line. Two other Lions joined Ulrich in double-digit scoring; Kiki McIntyre tallied 12 points going 6-for-12. Tori Lesko earned a team-high seven rebounds.
Current SSC Standings: Saint Leo: 4 | PBA: 10 | Barry: 2

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