St. Francis Holds Off Red Mountain for a 55-50 Victory

The St. Francis Golden Knights secured a hard-fought 55-50 win over the Red Mountain Mountain Lions in a game that featured momentum swings, clutch scoring, and a valiant comeback attempt by Red Mountain.

St. Francis Sets the Tone Early

The game opened with both teams struggling to find their rhythm offensively, ending in a 6-6 tie midway through the first quarter. St. Francis managed to edge ahead 11-10 by the quarter’s end, thanks to the steady play of Noah Henry (#2) and Delan Grant (#3).

In the second quarter, St. Francis began to take control. The Golden Knights outscored Red Mountain 12-4 in the period, with strong defensive pressure and timely buckets. At halftime, St. Francis led 23-14, building a comfortable cushion.

Red Mountain Struggles in the First Half

The Mountain Lions found it difficult to generate offense early. Drew Hall (#11), who finished with a game-high 21 points, was held scoreless in the second quarter. Without contributions from Travon Darby (#2) or Josh MacDonald (#3) in the first half, Red Mountain faced an uphill battle.

Third Quarter Sparks Comeback Attempts

St. Francis extended their lead to 35-21 midway through the third quarter, with Stephan Karibyan (#21) scoring all seven of his points during this stretch. However, Red Mountain began to rally behind Hall, who caught fire in the second half, and MacDonald, who finally got on the board. By the end of the third quarter, Red Mountain had trimmed the deficit to 39-31.

St. Francis Holds Strong in the Fourth

Despite Red Mountain’s continued push, which included nine second-half points from Darby, St. Francis maintained their composure. Henry and Grant each finished with 17 points, providing timely scoring and ensuring the Golden Knights stayed ahead.

Red Mountain cut the lead to single digits multiple times, but their early struggles proved too much to overcome. St. Francis secured the 55-50 victory with consistent play and clutch free throws down the stretch.

Key Performers

• St. Francis Golden Knights:

• #2 Noah Henry: 17 points

• #3 Delan Grant: 17 points

• #21 Stephan Karibyan: 7 points (all in the third quarter)

• Red Mountain Mountain Lions:

• #11 Drew Hall: 21 points (all outside the second quarter)

• #2 Travon Darby: 9 points (all in the second half)

• #3 Josh MacDonald: 8 points (all in the second half)

Final Thoughts

St. Francis relied on balanced scoring and timely contributions to fend off a determined Red Mountain squad. The Mountain Lions showed resilience with a strong second-half performance but were unable to overcome their slow start.

Both teams demonstrated flashes of potential and will look to build on this competitive matchup as they continue their seasons.