Saints win 69-51, deny NL’s Parker No. 500

January 06, 2023 10:09 pm • Last Updated: January 06, 2023 11:30 pm

By Mike DiMauro
Day Assistant Sports Editor

St. Bernard’s Cedrick Similien, right, drives against a New London double-team during Friday night’s high school boys’ basketball game at New London. Tyson Wheeler finished with 19 points and Similien had 15 to lead St. Bernard to a 69-51 victory over the Whalers. (Shaileen English/Special to The Day)

New London’s Devan Williams, right, takes the ball to the basket against St. Bernard’s Jack Philstin during Friday night’s high school boys’ basketball game. Williams had 15 points for the Whalers. (Shaileen English/Special to The Day)

St. Bernard’s Ryan Outlow, right, vies for a loose ball against New London’s Richard Taylor during Friday’s high school boys’ basketball game. St. Bernard won 69-51. (Shaileen English/Special to The Day)

New London’s Savahn Warren, right, grabs a rebound over teammate Richard Taylor, left, and St. Bernard’s Amare Marshall during Friday night’s high school boys’ basketball game. (Shaileen English/Special to The Day)

New London — OK, so maybe it’s not so sexy to crave the role of the Grinch. The party pooper. The killjoy. But then, there are fewer feelings sweeter in sports than victory on another’s soil, watching all your rivals exit the gym somewhere between disappointed and annoyed.

And this was The Plan all along for St. Bernard on Friday night at Conway Gym. The party for New London coach Craig Parker’s 500th win may be inevitable, just not on the Saints’ watch.

“We have a lot of guys from New London on our team,” St. Bernard senior Tyson Wheeler said. “We couldn’t let them lose this game.”

The Saints were rarely threatened, turning a game which could have been awash in drama into a 69-51 victory before 1,300 fans.

Wheeler scored 16 of his 19 points in the second half, while teammate Cedrick Similien guarded New London sophomore (and former St. Bernard teammate) Devan Williams perhaps better than anyone else has this season. Williams finished with 15.

“It was a big win because it was the next one on our schedule,” St. Bernard coach Mark Jones said. “New London is a historical program and we want to get where they are.”

Similien scored 15, Amare Marshall had 12 and Amyre Gray 10 for the Saints (6-2). Marshall, who missed school all week with an illness, combined with teammate Ryan Outlow to give St. Bernard a decisive rebounding edge, especially early in the game.

“The kids played their butts off,” Jones said. “We did a great job on Devan. He’s one of the best players in the area.”

St. Bernard led by eight at half. New London got as close as three early in the third period, but never threatened after that. Wheeler hit a runner, got a steal and made a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter that sealed it, pushing the lead to 16.

“Everyone was talking about this game all week,” Wheeler said. “We marked it on our calendars. We played with a lot of intensity in the second half.”

Da’Shaun Phillips added 15 for the Whalers (4-2) while freshman Xavier Goode scored 10.

Parker, who left the bench midway through the second half for an undisclosed reason, goes for win No. 500 at home Tuesday night against Griswold.

m.dimauro@theday.com