SIMS NAMED MVP AS MSJ HAMMERS DOUGLASS (NY) FOR BROGDEN TITLE

Henry Sims was simply dominant throughout Mount St. Joseph’s three-game romp to the Leon Brogden Holiday Classic championship, in Wilmington, NC, and, yesterday, the 6-10 senior center capped his efforts by scoring 18 points and collecting 11 rebounds to lead the Gaels to a 48-28 rout of Frederick Douglass (NY) in the championship game.

After a close first half, St. Joe shut down the Douglass offense, limiting it to just seven second half points and only two in the third quarter.

This was much easier than Saturday’s overtime victory over New Hanover (NC), the reigning 4A North Carolina state champion. New Hanover, the tournament host, had not lost on its home court in more than four years, before Sims outplayed Wake Forest bound, 7-1 center, Ty Walker. Sims averaged 19.6 points in the tournament.

Sophomore guard Eric Atkins, who came up huge in overtime in the win over New Hanover, also made the All-Tournament Team after scoring seven points in yesterday’s win. According to sources at the event, Atkins attracted scouts from Duke and North Carolina State to yesterday’s contest, after his big effort on Friday.

St. Joe (9-1) had to play yesterday’s game without 6-6 senior forward Chris Olsen, who had a big defensive effort in Friday’s win over New Hanover. Olsen suffered a gash in his left hand, which required 16 stitches, early Saturday while jumping a fence on his way to a sporting goods store.

Mount St. Joseph 48, Frederick Douglass (NY) 28
Douglass: Botery 5, Drysdale 2, Baez 4, Sewell 2, Riley 7, Anderson 8. Totals 13 2-5 28.
Mount St. Joseph: Atkins 7, McCoy 9, Jones 2, Hill 8, Sims 18, DeBoy 2, Armstead 2. Totals 22 3-9 48.
Half: Mount St. Joseph, 25-21.