Rivera Torres, Allen star as BW falls, 64-61

Dec. 4—CUMBERLAND — When Bishop Walsh was looking for a leader in the third quarter, Jason Rivera Torres stepped up. When the Spartans needed a bucket in the fourth quarter, Mikey Allen called his number.

Despite the grit and determination of BW, the Spartans fell just shy against Legacy Early College, 64-61, on Friday night at the Bob Kirk Invitational Showcase at Bob Kirk Arena.

"It was one of the grittiest, hard-fought games that we've played since we've been at Bishop Walsh where they were competing on both ends of the court," said Bishop Walsh head coach Dan Prete. "I saw some young guys grow up and showed that we're real close for when we win a game in this conference for it not to be considered an upset. It's going to be considered a win. I just can't praise these young guys enough for that."

After opening the game with a 7-0 run, Legacy was able to keep the Spartans at arm's length for much of the first half, leading by as many as 12.

"The one thing that we've got to do a better job of is when things got really hectic, we still got a little hectic," said Prete. "When they made a big play, we kind of rushed. We cut a lot of that out but there was still a couple possessions that were empty for us because we rushed because they made a play. It was a lot less than the night before. But in a game with a team like this, in this conference, those are what win and lose games."

The Lions led 12-6 after one and 33-27 at halftime after Rivera Torres got a putback to fall just before the buzzer.

"It was definitely a learning experience," said Rivera Torres. "We fought hard. I'm proud of my guys. We rebounded well. Played extremely tough defense. Just proud of my guys."

The third quarter was all-Rivera Torres, who finished the night just shy of a triple-double with 14 points, 10 rebounds and seven steals, five of which came in the third quarter.

A pair of free throws coming out of the half by Maor Nekrashevich got BW within four, then Rivera Torres made it a one-point game, 33-32, with a layup in traffic. Then, as he turned to go back up the floor, the inbounds pass hit him in the side of the face and knocked out one of his contact lenses. He picked up the loose ball and was fouled on the layup try, sinking the second foul shot after retrieving his contact from the floor. Rivera Torres played the rest of the game without contacts.

Bishop Walsh finally got its first lead of the contest midway through the frame, set up by TJ Robinson sinking a three-ball from the top of the key to tie it at 35-all.

Then, after a blocked shot by Rivera Torres, Robinson got the loose ball and raced to the basket, tossing it off the glass for an emphatic alley-oop to Rivera Torres that nearly blew the roof off of Bob Kirk Arena.

"I was just clicking," Rivera Torres said of his third-quarter performance. "I told myself 'I'm just going to play 150%, give it my all, help out my teammates and do everything to win.'"

Daniel Dormu got a tip-in to fall following the alley-oop for a 7-0 run and 39-35 Bishop Walsh lead.

The Lions closed out the frame on a 12-2 run, however, to take a 47-41 lead into the fourth.

Legacy Early College led by as many as eight in the final stanza. Just when it thought the Spartans had thrown their last punch, it was proven wrong time and time again.

After the Lions took a 54-46 lead, Travis Roberts and Allen hit back-to-back threes to get within two. Then, Nekrashevich blocked a shot before Dormu was found on the break, going up for a shot and spinning it off the glass and in for a basket while being fouled. Dormu's go-ahead free throw try missed.

After Bryce Hawkins knocked down a pair of free throws to retake the lead for LEC, Allen hit another three-ball off an assist from Nekrashevich, whose shifty moves driving the lane opened space out left for Allen, to give BW a 57-56 lead.

"I was looking for my shot," Allen said of his fourth-quarter mentality. "My teammates trust me and have confidence in me. I knocked 'em down."

The Lions answered with a runner in traffic from Coen Carr, giving them a one-point lead heading into the media timeout at 2:40.

Allen knocked down his third three-pointer of the frame from the left elbow coming out of the timeout, putting BW back in front, 60-58.

After a Lions basketball by Zaylan Chaney to tie it, Rivera Torres made the back end of a pair of free throws with 1:22 to play to give the Spartans their final lead of the contest.

"After last night, I thought he did an incredible job of wanting to prove that he was a player, but understood that he had to do it within the confines of our team," Prete said of Rivera Torres. "He did all the intangibles tonight. He found open teammates, he got deflections, he got good steals. He was just incredible. And oh, by the way, he lost his contacts for a quarter. I think that's what you're going to see more out of him as he gets more comfortable."

Khalil Arnold put Legacy in front for good with 58 ticks remaining on a three-pointer from the left elbow, with Chaney making a foul shot with 15 seconds left that put the score at its final.

BW had a few looks to win it before the buzzer, however. A deep three-point try from Roberts, who tied Rivera Torres with the team lead in points at 14, missed the mark. After a scramble, Bishop Walsh was able to recover the ball and call its last timeout with 1.2 seconds remaining.

Allen got the inbounds pass in front of the Spartans' bench just inside midcourt, but his three-point try hit back iron as the buzzer sounded.

"I thought it was in," Allen said of his final three-point shot.

Allen, who finished with nine points, was also tasked with guarding the Lions' leading scorer, Savon Sutton, down the stretch. Though Allen's offensive performance is what will be remembered, Sutton, who tallied a game-high 18, only had seven points in the second half.

"The kid can shoot the ball," Prete said of Allen. "I think tonight he showed that he's a threat. Just having the confidence to go 'I'm going to take that shot' is huge. And he did it. His shot looks wonderful. I feel like this is the beginning for him where now he's going to continue to build off of this because the kid can flat out stroke it."

Coming up big for the Spartans defensively was Nekrashevich, who, like Roberts, played 28 of 32 minutes.

"I'm not too sure how much he even came out of the game," Prete said of his junior forward from Israel. "He's been so consistent and steady for us. He's guarding guys that are much more athletic than he is, yet he finds a way to figure it out. Finds a way to rebound, finds a way to stay in front of his man, finds a way to get an open look. He does a lot of really good things because he's got a high basketball IQ."

Bishop Walsh (1-2) closes out play in the BKIS today at Allegany College of Maryland against Wasatch.

Kyle Bennett is a sports reporter for the Cumberland Times-News. Follow him on Twitter @KyleBennettCTN.