On paper, Archbishop Stepinac is the defending CHSAA Class A intersectional champion. But just a quick glance at the roster will tell you that these Crusaders are far from the same team that held the trophy a season ago.
Coach Tim Philp lost seven seniors from that team. Because of that, Stepinac has just started finding its consistency now.
“The beginning of the year, it was a struggle,” Philp said. “This is a brand new team. A lot of guys are playing together for the first time. I’ve got a young group. … The whole year was like guys learning how to play with each other.”
Lately, though, the Crusaders have been finding that right formula. Stepinac defeated host Cardinal Spellman, 52-32, in the CHSAA Class A intersectional second round Tuesday in The Bronx in the first step in its journey toward defending its title. Philp’s club will meet Fordham Prep in the quarterfinals Saturday at Mount St. Michael.
“We came a long way,” senior swingman Julian Wright said. “It was a new team. New personnel. New plays. Everything.”
This win wasn’t really different than the last against Spellman (7-18), though. Stepinac (16-9) beat the Pilots by 25 points on Jan. 21. This time, Spellman was actually within 41-28 after three quarters, but it never appeared the Crusaders, who started the game on a 10-0 run, were not in control.
The biggest strides his team has made, Philp said, has come on the offensive end. Stepinac has a much more balanced attack now and is exponentially more patient looking for a good shot. The leading scorers will tell you everything you need to know – Wright had 10 points, James Chillemi had nine and Lehigh-bound forward Conroy Baltimore added eight.
“It’s the most important thing,” Wright said. “When the ball sits, the defense sits. When you keep it moving, keep it rotating you get a lot of open shots.”
It helps to have the lengthy, wiry strong 6-foot-5 Baltimore inside. With his Division I scholarship in hand, it’s only common for opposing teams to pack it in on him. That spells trouble when Stepinac’s many shooters are hitting from the outside.
“Conroy is the glue as far as defensive rebounding,” Philp said. “But we have a lot of guys who can handle the ball. We’ve got a lot of guys who can attack the paint if teams play man. We’ve got some shooters. As long as we’re making the extra pass and we’re unselfish, win or lose we’ll be playing the game the right way.”
Ken Ruiz had 17 points to lead Spellman, but no one else was in double figures against a pressuring Stepinac defense. The Crusaders might not be the same team was they were last year, but this one has certainly proven itself to be a contender. Philp says an overtime loss at Cardinal Hayes on Feb. 5 was a turning point.
Stepinac ended up beating Hayes six days later and have won four in a row now. But they aren’t satisfied either. Wright said he and his teammates are still learning how to play with one another.
“We’re still not where we should be,” he said.
