skip navigation

La Salle HS gets boost from bench; lacrosse star Burke leads Haverford

12/09/2017, 1:00am EST
By Owen McCue

Konrad Kiszka (above) and La Salle beat St. Paul's (Md.) to open their season on Friday night. (Photo: Josh Verlin/CoBL)

Owen McCue (@Owen_McCue)
--

With its lead down to two points in the middle of the fourth quarter, La Salle needed someone off its bench to make a play.

After senior guard Sean Simon’s three-point attempt bounced off the room, junior forward Khalil Ashley-Diarrah grabbed the offensive rebound. Ashley-Diarrah was immediately surrounded by two St. Paul’s defenders.

He did not panic.

Instead, he found junior forward Konard Kiska cutting down the lane, who laid the ball up in and in with just under four minutes to go in the game. Ashley-Diarrah did not score a point on Friday night, but his rebound, one of nine, sparked an eight-point run for the Explorers on their way to a 48-38 win against St. Paul’s at the Haverford School.

“He gave us a lot of energy,” La Salle coach Joe Dempsey said. “Zach (Crisler) was in foul trouble and we’re lucky to have him. He’s another huge body, huge presence and he got a couple offensive rebounds too, obviously are daggers at that time of the game.”

Ashley-Diarrah saw extended action in the fourth quarter with junior forward Zach Crisler picking up his fourth foul with just under six minutes left in the game.

He wasn't the only member of La Salle’s bench to come up big in its win against St. Paul’s.

Junior forward Jack Rothenberg chipped in five points points off the bench. He hit a three late in the third quarter to give La Salle an eight-point lead. Junior guard Titus Beard added four more points.

“It was really just our bench that gave us the momentum,” Kiska said. “They’re doing a great job keeping us going.”

St. Paul’s played an extended 2-3 zone, which Dempsey compared to the one Syracuse University runs. The zone held La Salle to six points in the first quarter. The Explorers also looked uncomfortable when St. Paul’s began to use the zone to trap late in the third quarter.

“We had a lot of trouble entering the ball to the gray area and to the foul line,” he said. “You almost could run anything other than just get it to the foul line area and let guys do some damage.”

Along with the additions from the bench, the key to breaking through the 2-3 zone ended up being Kiska. The 6-foot-7 wing has the ability to play outside, but he did most of his damage in the paint.

After five points in the first half, Kiska was shut out in the third quarter. He finished strong though, scoring eight points in the fourth quarter, including two free throws with 1:20 left to put the game out of reach.

If that wasn’t enough, he ended the game in style with a fast break dunk.

“He’s a two-year starter, and he’s really, really playing well,” Dempsey said. “He’s really more acceptive of coaching and accepting of his role and he understands a lot better now that he can’t just be a guy who sits on the arc.”

“I’m just trying to be a leader for my team,” Kiska added.
---

With lacrosse decision behind him, Burke helps Haverford hoops

Haverford School junior guard Gavin Burke signed a letter of intent to play lacrosse at Villanova last week.

His teammates know the three-year starter is pretty good on the basketball court as well.

“I hear he’s pretty good at lacrosse as well, but he’s definitely big for us at Haverford for basketball,” Fords’ junior forward Christian Ray said.

Burke averaged just fewer than 10 points per game last season. He said he was more of a distributor and spot up shooter, as Ray and senior guard Kharon Randolph were the team’s top two scorers.

Ray scored 17 points on Friday, including 15 in the first half, and Randolph added eight, but Friday was Burke’s night.

The senior guard scored 21 points in Haverford’s 71-45 win against Academy of the New Church.

“This year I’m trying to expand my game, handle the ball a little bit and play with the ball a little bit more,” Burke said.

Burke showed off his sweet stroke, knocking down three shots from deep, however he also displayed the additions to his offensive arsenal as well.

He dribbled into the lane for a pull-up jumper several times. His most impressive play might have been a strong left handed finish at the rim for the traditional three-point play.

“The kid is skilled, when he gets going, you just can’t stop him,” Ray said. “Threes, layups, everything, the kid has it. We got him going, and he kept going from there.”


CoBL Holiday Sale

Click above to visit our store! Use discount code "HOLIDAY" at purchase and save 10% off all orders of $50 or more. Now through Friday at midnight!

HS Coverage:

Recruiting News:

Tag(s): Home  Old HS  Owen McCue  Catholic League (B)  La Salle College HS  Inter-Ac (B)  Haverford School