Red Storm Weather a Two-Point Thriller to Seize the Top Spot

A single possession separated first from a very different Wednesday night at East Shoreline Catholic Academy, where the Red Storm outlasted the Bulldogs 46-44 and two forfeits reshuffled the middle of the table.

Around the League

The marquee — and, frankly, only — game with a scoreboard worth arguing over was Red Storm 46, Bulldogs 44, a two-point classic decided in the margins. David Orr was the biggest man in the building, stuffing the box score with 25 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and 2 blocks — a two-way clinic that carried Red Storm across the line. He had plenty of help from Jason Erxleben, who quietly put together a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double with 2 assists, a steal and a block. Role players did role-player things: James Holt knocked down a triple in his 3-point night, and Doug Brackney chipped in a bucket.

The Bulldogs had every reason to feel good despite the loss, mostly because Khalid Jabarkhail turned into a flamethrower. His 20 points came on a jaw-dropping six made threes, and he rounded out the line with 6 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a block. Joe Flaherty added 8, Dan Scandalito filled the stat sheet with 5 points, 6 boards, 3 assists and a triple of his own, and Mason Carey did the dirty work — 4 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. Two points short, but there’s no shame in this one.

The other two games on the slate never got off the ground. The Knicks took a 2-0 win over the Huskies by forfeit, and the Green Wave picked up a 2-0 forfeit win over Black Mamba. No players suited up on the losing sides in either, so the scores are just the league’s bookkeeping convention — no highlights to relive here, just a couple of Ws logged without a ball bouncing.

The Standings

The forfeits did the heavy lifting on the table this week. Red Storm climbed all the way from the middle to the penthouse, jumping two spots to No. 1 at 2-0 behind their W2 streak. The Huskies and Bulldogs each slid a rung to second and third respectively — both now 1-1 and both riding an L1 — the Huskies undone by their no-show, the Bulldogs by the narrowest of margins. The forfeit wins nudged the Knicks and Green Wave up a spot apiece, while Black Mamba dropped two to the cellar at 0-2 on an L2 skid.

Movers & Shakers

Star of the Week: David Orr (Red Storm). When your line reads 25 points, 12 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and 2 blocks, and you win by two, you were the difference. Orr led the league in scoring and rebounding (12) and tied for the block lead (2). MVP night.

Sharpshooter of the Week: Khalid Jabarkhail (Bulldogs). Six made threes on the way to 20 points. On a night the Bulldogs came up two short, Khalid gave them every chance — and a highlight reel to boot.

The Double-Double Club welcomed two members, both in Red Storm colors. Orr headlined it, and Erxleben joined with his 12-and-10, adding the muscle that a two-point win demands.

Category kings: Orr swept boards and blocks, while Mason Carey (Bulldogs) paced the league in assists with 3, sharing the floor generously in his blue-collar effort. And a tip of the cap to Danny Gardner (Red Storm), whose 4 steals led all comers — a reminder that Red Storm’s defense had a lot to do with sitting atop this table.

See you next Wednesday, Shoreline.