In a showdown of two of the top high school boys basketball teams in the area, it was Vianney that came out ahead over the Lindbergh Flyers Jan. 30.
The Griffins surged out to a 26-8 lead in the first quarter and held on for the 72- 64 win.
The loss dropped Lindbergh to 15-4 on the season.
Lindbergh head coach Nathan Biggs said his team wasn’t aggressive enough in the first quarter and Vianney came out shooting well.
“It was a combination of both,” Biggs said. “Vianney took and made many good looks in the first quarter. We were not aggressive enough on either end of the floor in the first quarter. They have very skilled players throughout their lineup who take advantage of what is given to them. We gave up too many easy looks defensively while having too many turnovers offensively.”
Lindbergh started to cut into the lead in the second quarter, outscoring Vianney 23-17.
“The biggest difference between quarters was our poise with the ball and our aggressiveness on both ends of the floor,” Biggs said. “Once we settled in, we competed well with a very good team.”
Zac Goss led all scorers with 21 points in the game, while Luke Walsh led Vianney with 17 points. Goss has been nothing but consistent for Lindbergh all season.
“Goss has had an incredible impact on our team all year,” Biggs said. “Last night, he played 32 minutes, guarded the other team’s leading scorer and held him below his average, and was our leading scorer. Even with all of that impact, Goss continues to want to improve so the team comes out on top in those tough games.”
Despite leading the team, Biggs said Goss’ attitude is in line with the Flyers’ ethos.
“As a program, we emphasize not being satisfied with where we are and striving for continued improvement,” he said. “Goss has embodied that mindset and I look forward to continuing to see him improve throughout the rest of the season.”
David Hardesty also played well for Lindbergh despite foul trouble early in the game.
“Before having an injury and surgery at the beginning of the season, Hardesty was likely to be one of our key contributors this year,” Biggs said. “He has been slowly working his way back into game shape and has done some good things for us in the limited minutes that he has had the past few games. It would not surprise me if he works his way into playing some significant time for us towards the end of the season. Last night, he came in and showed he belonged out there against tough opponents.”
Vianney’s defense gave the Flyers fits all night, as the Griffins forced Lindbergh into crisis mode late, causing some miscues for the Flyers.
“They play a style of defense that is unique and takes some getting used to,” Biggs said. “We were able to outscore them in the second through fourth quarters, but were unable to make up the difference from the first. Many of our mistakes came late in the fourth when we were in ‘desperation mode’ and trying to force the issue.”
While Vianney and Lindbergh are in different classes and cannot face each other in the postseason, Biggs thinks this type of game could benefit his team later in the season.
“We showed what we are capable of, but for 24 minutes instead of 32,” he said. “I often say that we prefer the victories that go in the win-loss column, but battling with a great team could certainly be a moral victory for our guys. Games like these do prepare us for other tough opponents that we could face down the road.”
