St. Bernard Comes Out on Top in Basketball Season Opener

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CULLMAN — Senior Evan Aldridge and sophomore Christian Peterson combined to shoot nine of 10 from the foul line in the fourth quarter that saved St. Bernard Prep School in a 70-64 victory Tuesday on opening night of AHSAA basketball.

The Saints would score more points from the line (12) than they did in field goals (3) in the final 8:00. Shades Mountain cut a 12-point deficit to four when the Saints needed accuracy and did so when the game went down to the wire.

Shooting well from the line changed the course of the game for Greg Boatright's Saints. In the first half, the Saints knocked down seven shots from 3-point range and went on top at halftime 38-30.

Their final five FGs in the half were from downtown with Aldridge and Dean Smith getting two to go and Peterson one.

Foul trouble hurt the Saints once they went into the fourth stanza with a 52-40 advantage. Smith fouled out with 4:45 remaining and Gavin Harris was done a couple of minutes later.

The Saints were without their point guard and needed help to deal with the Eagles pressuring the ball and making a comeback by 16 points in the fourth from guard Sam Reichle.

Aldridge and Peterson protected the lead with Peterson getting his final two from the line with 0:05 left to make it a six-point margin.

Aldridge delivered 27 on opening night, going seven of eight from the line and led the Saints in treys with four. Peterson scored 18, 11 in the final period, Smith had a dozen, Harris scored three, and Jacob Grey and Luis Zatarian three.

Reichle finished with a team-high 23 points for Shades Mountain.

Girls; St. Bernard 50, Shades Mountain 10
A good start by Zana Wilson keyed the Lady Saints to a rout in the opener.

Wilson could not be stopped with 13 in the opening period to carry St. Bernard to a 15-2 lead. She had 20 by halftime with the Lady Saints moving the advantage to 31-6.

The scoring slowed down in the third, but St. Bernard led 38-6 and played the final 8:00 with a running clock, once the Lady Saints secured a 30-point advantage, a rule in its third year in the AHSAA.

Wilson had 27 by hitting 10 field goals, three treys and four free throws. Macy Whaley scored seven, Anna Myers six, Tania Martinez and Avy Whaley four, and Alli Messick two.

Both teams will welcome the Brilliant Tigers to the Fazi-Richard Athletic Center Thursday.