On November 16, 2022, the DeMatha Stags varsity basketball team took on the Takoma Academy Tigers. The Stags won this game 86-80 led by senior Cristian McElveen who had 17 points in the game, 15 points in the first half. When asked about what got him involved that much in the offense, McElveen said, “Just running the stuff we went over in practice, and listening to the coaches, especially my teammates, and playing through each other.” This win over Takoma was a great team win for the stags, other top scorers in the game included:

Kade Sebestian, sophomore- 13pts 

Ashton Meeks, freshman- 12pts 

Logan Lewis, senior- 12pts

Jaden Winston, senior- 8pts (all in the 3rd quarter) 

The game started off slow for the Stags as they ran such a fast-paced offense that they themselves ran into trouble leading to careless turnovers that would plague the Stags throughout the first half. The game stayed close throughout the 1st quarter until Cristian McElveen scored 5 straight points to make the score 23-20 for the Stags at the end of the 1st. The Stags would go into the 2nd quarter limiting their turnovers but increasing their team fouls. 5 minutes into the 2nd quarter the Stags had already committed 6 fouls, by half both teams had double-digit fouls. DeMatha 11 fouls to Takoma Academy 10. Also, by halftime the Stags had added on another 19 points to extend their lead to 42-34 over the Tigers. 

Coming out of the locker room for the 2nd half the Stags got more aggressive and came out in a full court press that would force 5 straight turnovers. By the 3-minute mark the Stags had a 20-point lead over Takoma. The 3rd quarter would conclude with the Stags up 68-47. The Stags started off the 4th quarter with a bang when sophomore JJ Massaquoi would get a block on the first possession of the 4th. Takoma Academy didn’t go down without a fight though, erasing the 20-point deficit to make the score 86-80 with 18.5 seconds left in the game. 

Although the Stags got the win there were a lot of players on the IR:

Mason So, senior

Isaiah Arnold, senior 

AJ McClary, junior 

Malcolm Thomas, junior

Charles Thomas, sophomore 

Cole Bowser, sophomore 

The Stags will have 3 more preseason games before they start their regular season. The next one coming up on Saturday, November 19, 2022, vs St. Maria Goretti at The Brendan Looney Convocation Center.