February 18, 2022
Chat with Coach Biehl #7
by Brother Neal Golden, S.C. (CJ ’57)
"The Crusaders lost to John Curtis in their gym Friday night 59-48, then thumped Rummel 52-27 in the Conlin Gym Tuesday to finish Catholic League play with a record of seven wins and five losses.
Martin defeated Curtis in the first round 58-46. However, the Patriots’ leader, G Buddy Taylor, who was their football quarterback for three years, played sparingly because of injury. They were a different team with him at point guard last Friday as Curtis almost reversed the score from the first-round game.
“Jesuit beat Curtis by 21 points Tuesday,” says Coach Chris Biehl. “You figure out this league this year.”
To say the Crusader defense stifled the Raiders Tuesday night would be an understatement. The score at halftime was 28-4. Coach Chris Biehl says, “I don’t look at the scoreboard in terms of the big picture. I see we have a lead. So I went in at halftime and look at the statistics and see that they have only four points. But I say, ‘Guys, our rotations are terrible.’ I know the kids must have thought I’m nuts. I shouldn’t have been complaining too much, but this time of the year you’re trying to get ready for the post-season.’
The game against Rummel was stopped in the second half to honor junior G Corey Skillman, who became only the fourth Brother Martin player to score 1,000 points before his senior season.
“We have such a lack of consistency, in part because of injuries and sickness. We played without DJ Fowler against Rummel. He was sick, but he’s back now.” Ray Lotten is in concussion protocol because of a hard fall he took against the Raiders. “We won’t know until Friday morning if he can play Friday night.”
The Martin teams travel to Baton Rouge Friday to play Madison Prep, a AAA non-select school that is currently ranked first in AAA with a record of 18-5.
“They have a little bitty gym. The stands are 360, behind each basket right on the baselines and sidelines. The place will be packed. Their fans get excited and run onto the court after a big basket. We have to be mentally prepared for an environment that you don’t see in the Catholic League. We have big crowds, but we’re not used to a big crowd in a small gym.
“This will be the biggest and the highest-ranked team we’ve played this season. We played them last year and lost by three in the Conlin Gym.
“They have a 6’9” senior center, Percy Daniels, who has signed with Seton Hall University. My concern is that with Clayton Lonardo out and possibly without Ray Lotten, we’ll have to work our tails off to keep Daniels from having his way with us.”
The playoff brackets will be announced Monday. First-round games must be played by Wednesday, which makes it difficult for teams that have to travel. Then the second-round games are Friday.
Brother Martin remains in 4th place ranking in the Division I power rankings,
Brother Martin and Curtis are in what looms as a photo-finish race to secure the #4 seed for the Division I playoffs. The Crusaders are a scant 0.21 points ahead of Curtis, which lost at Jesuit Tuesday night and concludes their district season at Archbishop Shaw Friday. If they hang on to the fourth spot, they will have a bye in the first round, then host the winner of the game between #5 Curtis and #12 McKinley at Curtis.
If the Crusaders fall to #5, they host McKinley Tuesday and then play at Curtis Friday.
Last but not least, congratulations to the District Champion Crusader Junior Varsity team and to the freshman team that finished 9-1. Prospects are bright for the future of Brother Martin basketball."
