St. Mary's Outlasts Basha in High-Intensity Game

From the opening tip, St. Mary’s and Basha delivered the kind of entertaining basketball you expect when top talent hits the floor. The Knights opened with a quick 5–0 burst, but Basha settled in behind a Kingston Montague three that immediately halted St. Mary’s early momentum. The first quarter became a feeling-out process as both teams spent the quarter adjusting and countering. After eight minutes, St. Mary’s held a narrow 16–15 edge.

The game’s energy shifted early in the second quarter when Duke commit Cameron Williams ignited the gym with back-to-back dunks, pushing the Knights’ lead to 20–15 and forcing a Basha timeout. On the other end, senior Mason Magee continued attacking St. Mary’s downhill, applying constant pressure and keeping Basha within striking distance. A deep three from Lleyton Leonard gave Basha a 29–28 lead with three minutes left in the half—only for Williams to answer instantly with a short jumper and then another highlight dunk in transition.

Both offenses caught a rhythm late in the quarter, trading big shots. As the half expired, Basha guard Christian Hernandez buried a corner three at the buzzer, capping a highlight-filled first half that had the entire gym buzzing. St. Mary’s took a slim 40–39 lead into the locker room. Williams and Magee were sensational—each dropping 19 points in the opening half and setting the tone for a star-driven showdown.

The third quarter was more of the same—neither team could create much separation—until St. Mary’s put together a quick run to build a 59–51 advantage with 2:22 left in the third. But every time the Knights looked ready to pull away, Basha responded. Montague knocked down another timely three to steady the Bears, and St. Mary’s entered the fourth up 63–56 with a bit of breathing room but far from a comfortable lead.

The final quarter brought intensity, physicality, and a little chippi

ness. Basha cut the lead to 70–67 on a deep Desean Middlebrook three with just under four minutes to play. A midrange jumper from Carter Bagley momentarily extended the Knights’ cushion, but Magee responded with a layup to make it 72–69 as the tension mounted.

With 1:18 remaining, Williams delivered the biggest possession of the night—converting the and-one to stretch the lead to 77–70. Montague tried to keep Basha alive with a quick three, cutting it to 77–73, but St. Mary’s executed down the stretch and put the game away at the line.

The Knights closed out the 84–78 win in a contest filled with elite shot-making, athletic plays, and two teams refusing to back down. Williams and Magee stole the show early, but St. Mary’s depth and late-game composure proved to be the difference. Cameron Williams led the way for the Knights with 29 points, Carter Bagley 22, and Noah Ondoua 18. Mason Magee led the Bears with 29, Leonard 15, and Montague 13. St. Mary's moved to 2-0 and Basha dropped to4-1