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The Ball Finds Energy: Williford lights it up from outside, STAB cruises past St. Chris

Photo by Bart Isley

St. Anne’s-Belfield boys basketball doesn’t have to run any particular action for sophomore Austin Williford and he can still absolutely light it up. 

 

That’s exactly what he did Friday evening in the Prep League semifinals, scoring 21 points powered by five 3-pointers as STAB rolled 85-57 over St. Christopher’s. 

 

“Coach told me just move without the ball, the ball is going to find energy and I play with energy,” Williford said. “It found me and the shot was on tonight and I just hit them.”

 

The win puts the Saints in the Prep League title game and sets up potential back-to-back championships after STAB won the title on a last second jumper from John St. Germain a year ago. They’ll face Woodberry Forest Saturday at 5 p.m. for the title.  

 

Williford operates so well within the system and with defenses so intent on trying to slow down Carter Lang, Chance Mallory and St. Germain, it’s an incredible advantage to have Williford lurking in the mix. He went 5-for-9 from beyond the arc and provided a dagger on several possessions where a well-coached St. Christopher’s squad had played good defense throughout most of the shot clock.

 

St. Germain went for 21 as well, hitting three 3-pointers while dishing out six assists. He got the second half going in a big way with a circus shot move in the lane off a fastbreak early in the third quarter. 

 

STAB exploded in the second half and by the end of the third quarter a 13-point halftime lead had expanded into a 24-point advantage. 

 

“The first half the ball was stagnant, it wasn’t moving – we weren’t trusting each other,” Williford said. “The second half we were trusting each other, trusting the system, moving the ball and the offense started clicking.”

 

Williford added six rebounds, three assists and two steals to his 21-point outburst while St. Germain had six assists and two steals. Mallory dished out seven assists to go with 18 points and two steals while Lang had eight points and six boards. 

 

Brandon Jennings led St. Christopher’s with 14 points on the night. 

 

STAB will square off with Woodberry Saturday before starting state tournament play Wednesday where the Saints are likely to host a quarterfinal game that night. 

 

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