Suffolk News-Herald

A fast first period and furious fourth were not enough for Nansemond-Suffolk Academy to overcome visited Bishop Sullivan Catholic Tuesday night as the Saints fell short on Senior Night, 64-60. Ryland Gwaltney, the lone senior Saint, scored all nine of his points in the final period.

NSA came out blazing from long distance for the second straight game, as two threes from Adam Gillette and one from Kyle Jett shot NSA out to an 11-3 lead in the opening 3:20.

The Crusaders cut the lead to 14-10 before Jett nailed two more threes, including a 25-footer from the top of the key as the horn sounded, putting the Saints up 20-12.

Jett scored 11 points in the opening period, and NSA was 5-for-7 from three-point range as a team.

Catholic opened the second with an 8-0 run before a Gillette basket in the post gave NSA their lead back at 22-20.

The score remained tight though the rest of the half, and NSA led 30-29 at the break as Gillette and Jett combined for 27 points. The Saints continued to get good opportunities during the period, as they committed only one turnover in the period. But 5-for-18 field goal shooting for the quarter, as well as 0-for-6 from the three-point range, kept the lead small.

A Gillette blocked shot and a Gwaltney steal turned Catholic’s first two second half possessions into NSA buckets on fast breaks, as the Saints led 34-29 a little more than two minutes into the third period. But NSA went ice-cold from there, not scoring a field goal again until the 6:37 mark of the fourth quarter.

By that time, the Crusaders had built a 44-36 lead.

Gwaltney’s first trey closed the gap to four at 47-43 with 5:31 to play; but Catholic’s defense continued to make things tough for NSA, and the Crusaders pulled away to a 59-48 advantage with 1:35 to go.

Threes from Jett and Gwaltney cut the deficit to 59-54, but NSA didn’t score on its next two possessions.

Jett and Gillette had 23 points apiece.

Jett hit five threes on the night and Gillette’s 14 rebounds gave him a double-double. Matt Hamlet recorded six steals.

Nansemond-Suffolk (11-11, 4-5) will be on the road against a foe to be determined for the first round of the TCIS tournament, set for next Wednesday.

In girls action, the Lady Crusaders won big, 55-20. Ellen Giermak led the Lady Saints with six points and Parris Grieder had four. The Lady Saints play their own Senior Night game tonight against Norfolk Collegiate.