Angelus League : Mater Dei Wins 50th in Row a Little Differently

Mater Dei High School’s other two starters led the Monarchs to an 81-63 Angelus League win over host St. Paul Friday night.

The Monarchs (6-0, 21-0) usually rely on center LeRon Ellis, forward Stuart Thomas and point guard Tom Peabody. All three played, but it was guard John Mounce, who led Mater Dei scorers with 20, and Jim Dwyer who put the Monarchs up early and kept them ahead throughout the game.

Dwyer, who scored 14, started the game by by making three jump shots in two minutes to put Mater Dei up, 6-2. Mounce followed by making Mater Dei’s next two baskets. With the two other guys leading the way, the Monarchs had a comfortable, 27-17 lead over St. Paul (2-4, 9-7) at the end of the first period.

“Those guys really got us going,” Mater Dei Coach Gary McKnight said. “Dwyer lit it up right from the start and then Mounce got hot. When those two are hitting, it makes it pretty tough to beat Mater Dei.”

St. Paul Coach Mike Dinneen, in part, was responsible for Mounce and Dwyer’s big game. Dinneen had watched Ellis and Thomas combine for 47 points in the first game between the teams won by Mater Dei, 76-52. To try to contain the 6-foot 10-inch Ellis and 6-9 Thomas, Dinneen put his team in a 1-3-1 zone that triple teamed Thomas and Ellis whenever they went to the low-post blocks.

The strategy was relatively successful in keeping the two big men from dominating, but it did leave open a 15-foot shot from the corner of the key.

“I think they were really worried about LeRon and Stuart beating them inside,” McKnight said. “They had to give up something on the floor to overplay those two. Even when those two aren’t scoring they’re still a force.”

Ellis (16) and Thomas (14) would eventually get their points. As the St. Paul defense was forced to try to defend Dwyer and Mounce from the outside, things opened up inside.

This was Mater Dei’s 50th straight win.

Dwyer’s big game seemed to please McKnight.

“He’s a four-year letterman on the varsity who always seemed to be the seventh or eighth man,” McKnigt said. “He’s finally found his spot. I’m really happy that he could have a game like this.”

Dwyer recently committed to Columbia University.

MATER DEI (81)--Ellis 16, Thomas 14, Dwyer 14, Mounce 20, Peabody 5, Rembert 6, Quigley 2, Peterson 2, Rocco 2.

ST. PAUL (63)--Je. Willis 14, Jo. Willis 4, Scott 19, Willig 18, Tritz 4, Ayala 4.

Pius 62, Servite 55--Anthony Jenkins led all scorers with 22 points and John Finau added 12 as the Warriors (3-3, 12-7) won at home. The win puts the Friars (3-3, 8-9) and Pius in a tie for second place. Servite was led by Tony Smalley, who scored 20 points. Bob Coady had 11 points, 9 rebounds and 11 assists for the Friars.

SERVITE (55)--Coady 11, Smalley 20, Sullivan 2, Rollins 16, Arabia 1, Kenney 5.

PIUS X (62)--Gibson 2, Jenkins 22, Ewing 9, Myers 2, Livingston 6, Finau 12, Smith 7, Hollingquest 2.