CRESPI FAILS TO KEEP UP IN 95-76 LOSS

Crespi High played perhaps its most flawless half of the season in the first two periods Friday night.

But Loyola was even better in the second half, rolling to a 95-76 win in a Del Rey League opener.

Crespi, which substituted just one player, came out gunning early. But the Celts tired and fell victim to a second-half Loyola depth charge. Ten of 12 players scored for the Cubs, three in double figures.

“We would have had to play a perfect game to beat Loyola,” assistant Christ Nikchevich said. “We really didn’t sub a lot so we expected to have some breakdowns. We just ran out of gas.”

And with the Celts’ sputter came a spurt from 6-foot-10 Loyola center Ryan Jamison. He scored 19 of his 23 points in the second half, including a double-fisted slam which ignited a 15-0 fourth-period flurry that put the game out of reach.

Jamison drew a foul from Christian Fauria on the slam, made the free throw, and blocked Matt Luderer’s layup attempt at the other end. Seconds later, Fauria was hit with an intentional foul on Jamal Adams’ layup, tripping the avalanche.

“I was getting really frustrated because I was going up so weak,” said Jamison, who was completely neutralized by Fauria and Rasaan Hall in the first half. “I wasn’t going to back down.”

Scott Barton, who scored a game-high 29 points, cut the deficit to 61-49 at the end of the third quarter with a buzzer-beating jump shot in the paint.

Loyola (8-3) answered with its back-breaking rally.

“We just lost our intensity,” said Fauria, who finished with 15 points. “We were playing our best half ever and then we came out flat.”

Still, Fauria was pleased with the Celts’ flashes of brilliance.

“I’ve never seen a team this pumped up,” he said. “We play them again, though, so . . . “

Crespi (6-9) trailed, 36-28, at the intermission but would have been closer had Eric Jones not erupted for 11 of his 26 points in the second quarter.

Hall came off the bench to finish with 22 for Crespi. Adams scored 12 and Joe Burhardt contributed eight for Loyola.