Bishop Stang varsity basketball (10-2) has been on the upswing since Coach Colbey Santos joined the Spartans in 2014. On Friday, Jan. 22, they were put to the test against the rival Bishop Feehan Shamrocks (10-0).

Excitement was riding high well before the game started. The stands were completely packed with fans, and students were ushered onto the stage to spectate.

“It’ll be a tough game,” Bishop Stang Principal Peter Shaughnessy predicted.

The game took a frantic pace right out of the gate, the Spartans scoring the first points of the night. Both teams rushed the ball from one side of the court to the other, Feehan scoring more consistently throughout the game. Stang seemed to lose some of its momentum, though Feehan didn’t falter. By the end of the first quarter despite frequent penalties against them, the Spartans were lagging at 9-22.

Though Stang was playing catch-up in the second quarter, high scorers like captain Avery Debrito, Brycen Goodine and Damian Perry rapidly closed the gap. This quarter proved to be Stang’s most successful run. Feehan continued racking up penalties. After a hotly contested call against Stang, Perry was awarded two uncontested free throws, bringing the score to 26-33 going into halftime.

The first quarter’s sense of urgency returned with a vengeance going into the third quarter. Things remained rather low-scoring until the last five minutes. Following a slew of foul shots on both sides, Stang brought the score to 36-40.

The high point for the Spartans came right after they scored yet again. They turned the ball over from the Shamrocks, when Goodine scored an alley-oop, getting the crowd on its feet.

No one was sitting for the final quarter. Stang students on the stage rallied behind their team, cheering the Spartans on as the quarter kicked off at 48-52.

With just three and a half minutes left of the game, the score was nearly even at 50-52, the Stang came to surpassing Feehan pointwise. However, Feehan pulled ahead after scoring two foul shots. The Spartans made a good recovery, lagging at 54-59, but after several more foul shots, Feehan pulled ahead and the game came to a close at 56-63.

Despite the loss, the Spartans played a technical, clean game. Santos prided the Spartans on their performance. A young team, Stang’s pool of talent has been performing incredibly this season, both against Feehan, a Div. 2 team, and in the conference.

“Down 16 and the team fighting back? You can’t ask for more than that,” Santos said. “Now we just worry about the rest of Division 3.”

When it comes to losses, Santos has no concerns about how the team will rally. “These guys have short-term memory. They’re probably fine right now, they’re probably ready to go to practice.”

The Bishop Stang Spartans’ next game is on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at Somerset Berkley.