Lancers can't keep up with Wildcats
St. John's falls to talented state-ranked foe
There is a reason why Milwaukee Hamilton's Darnell Harris is considered among the best junior boys basketball players in the state.
Standing 6-foot-8, Harris nonetheless provides a significant impact from the perimeter. His five 3-pointers, including three on three attempts in the third quarter, helped to keep St. John's Northwestern Military Academy at bay Tuesday.
The Lancers, facing the first of many impressive programs on their schedule this season, picked up 19 points from Isaiah Gray but fell short, 64-53.
Harris, ranked No. 1 in the class of 2011 by Wishoops.net, hit all three of his 3-pointers from the exact same spot on the floor in the third, hitting from the right side midway between the top of the key and the baseline.
"We got tired," St. John's coach Brian Richert said. "Going through the scouting report, we know (Harris) hangs on that corner. They switched corners on me … and the other guy wasn't used to him being out there. But you would think after he hit two in a row, you'd know he's out there. But our kids battled. We kept bringing them to them."
The Lancers (1-1) led at a couple points in the first half and trailed at halftime only 27-25. But the Wildcats, ranked No. 3 in Division 1 by the coaches association, went on a 16-5 run to open the second half.
Elgin Cook, ranked No. 3 in the junior class by Wishoops, scored a team-high 22 points. Yet another highly touted junior, Chuck Lee, locked down St. John's shooter DJ Mlachnik, holding him to one shot in the first half and without a field goal in the game.
"Charlie took DJ out from the start," Richert said. "We have to do a better job of knowing that, and we have to set screens better. If their focus is stopping him, then we've got to do a better job of countering that, and we didn't"
Chris McFarlane scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half, burying a trio of 3-pointers and giving St. John's its last lead midway through the second quarter, 22-21.
"I put him in the corner, and I know the focus is going to be on the other guys, and he's such a great shooter," Richert said. "As soon as we know he's being unguarded, we're going to give him the ball all day."
Harris responded with a triple, and Cook converted on the first of his two 3-point plays to replenish Hamilton's lead to 5 points.
The upcoming schedule remains tough for the Lancers, who travel to face another City Conference foe in Bay View on Thursday. The busy week concludes Saturday with a visit to Milwaukee Messmer.
Box score
Milw. Hamilton 64, St. John's 53
| St. John's | FG | FT | Points |
| McFarlane | 5 | 1-2 | 14 |
| Mays | 5 | 0-0 | 12 |
| McGhee | 1 | 2-4 | 4 |
| Gray | 6 | 5-8 | 19 |
| Cain | 1 | 0-0 | 2 |
| Mlachnik | 0 | 2-2 | 2 |
| Jackson | 0 | 0-0 | 0 |
| Totals | 18 | 10-16 | 53 |
Hamilton top scorer: Elgin Cook 22
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