When the Glenelg Country School Dragons faced the struggling 5-12 Archbishop Curley Friars at home on Thursday evening, they were also facing another formidable opponent: themselves. The team has had a very successful season and received a good deal of press coverage, which coach Kevin Quinlan is determined to prevent from affecting his team’s output.

“The team has gotten a lot of positive press, and I want to make sure that we stay focused and ignore it,” he said.

The Dragons were able to down the Friars 54-37, but the team looked as if it were getting in its own way more than the Friars were. Throughout the game, sloppy play and turnovers kept the Dragons from turning the game into a comfortable rout, and forced them to stay determined in keeping their opponent at bay.

Team leaders Isaiah Miles and Warren Powers both had 14 points and Kevin Boyd added eight. “Warren was posting up hard…we’ve been emphasizing getting him touches,” Quinlan said.

Dragons point guard Tre Jordan didn’t make a big impact on the scoreboard, but his ball control kept the Dragons on track at crucial junctures, and he was able to sink a three-pointer near the end of the game, giving the Dragons an insurmountable lead.

The Dragons started off strong, outworking the Friars and following rebounds consistently while using their height advantage to play sound defense. After the first quarter, Glenelg’s effort had produced a 13-6 lead thanks to their solid play in the paint and ability to outbox Curley’s big men.

Looking to stay in the game, Curley moved the ball well later in the first half, yet was unable to score effectively, making the blocking ability of the Dragons very apparent.

The Dragons demonstrated composure, staying patient on offense and waiting for the right openings to score, while the Friars’ defense efforts increased. With no answer for Powers’ spectacular ability to drive to the basket on defense, the Friars found themselves down 15-8 with 4:00 remaining in the half. They would sink a much-needed three-pointer with a minute left, but still trailed 25-12 heading into halftime.

The second half began with action, as the teams traded three-pointers. The Friars showed some tenacity, causing several turnovers on consecutive Dragons possessions and climbing back into striking range. A vicious slam dunk by Miles shifted momentum once again to the home team, sparking the crowd to life and drawing a reaction from teammates on the court and the bench.

Throughout the second half, the Dragons kept the Friars around a 13- to 15-point deficit, with Curley clawing their way towards a narrower lead. The Dragons appeared close to closing out the game, but never seemed to consistently score without turning over the ball and failing to stop the Friars.

Overall, both teams appeared to be having an off night, with errant passes and lack of focus abounding. While Glenelg struggled to close out the visitors, Curley squandered their chances to mount a comeback with mental errors of their own.

Late in the game while looking to make a final push, the Friars missed important free throws, including two out of three on shots awarded after a Glenelg player committed a foul on a three-point shot.

The Friars remained down by 13 with 3:00 to play and kept up their efforts until a three pointer by Jordan effectively ended the game at 54-37. Quinlan believes that with focus and determination, this team could be bound for greatness.

“The sky is the limit with this team,” he said. “We have to ignore what’s happened and focus.”