The Potomac Highlands Dispatch - the online newspaper

Bishop Walsh boys complete perfect season
Spartans complete 24-0 year with win over Keyser

* Get complete coverage of the team's 23rd win of the year against Southern

By Kevin Spradlin
The Potomac Highlands Dispatch
NEW CREEK, W.Va., Feb. 24 -- After a close first quarter, Billy Conroy and the Bishop Walsh Spartans' junior varsity boys basketball team used the second quarter to pull away from host Keyser and the second half to further separate themselves from the Golden Tornado - and finish off a historic season.

Bishop Walsh entered Thursday's game with 23 wins and no losses. From the start, Conroy helped erase any illusion the Golden Tornado might have had of preventing win No. 24.

Conroy scored 12 of his 18 points in the first half as the Spartans led by only three after the first quarter. By halftime, though, BW's lead increased to something Keyser could only hope to duplicate.

With 4:28 left in the third quarter, J.R. Flint hit two free throws to pull Keyser within 11 points. But the Spartns went on a 9-2 run to dash any dream the home might had of staying competitive.

At least, BW fans might have thought so. Keyser players had a different idea. Though they trailed by 18 entering the fourth quarter, Keyser scored the first 10 points of the final period to pull within nine points with 4:56 to play. Less than a minute later, Keyser was within seven - then six - and thinking upset.

Unfortunately for the Golden Tornado, time was running out and they were forced to foul to slow the clock. It didn't work, as Conroy's 3-pointer restored a nine-point lead with 2:23 left and BW converted five of seven free throws in the last 93 seconds to seal the win.

Along with Conroy's 18 points, Liam Rhodes had 24 points - including 15 in the second half romp - for Bishop Walsh. Lucas Bruck was the Spartans' third-leading scorer with seven points and added 12 rebounds in the win.

Rhodes and Conroy each had four steals and Brandon Reed added three assists.