Loyola Blakefield used an unrelenting defense to pummel Dulaney, 63-45, Friday night in a non-league battle in Timonium, holding the Lions' top two scoring threats — senior guards Will Darley and Gavan Scanlan — to a combined 17 points.
Senior Jordan Floyd was the primary defender on the 6-foot-6 Darley while seniors Matt Dunn and Taylor Janoskie teamed to contain the 6-foot-5 Scanlan.
"We need Will and Gavan to score 15 points each for us to be successful against a team like Loyola," Dulaney coach Matt Lochte said. "But the biggest thing for us was making only five free throws. We have to get to the line more than that if we're going to have a chance."
Loyola coach Josh Davalli was well aware of the threat the Lions' big guards pose to most defenders.
"We had to make life tough on Will Darley," Davalli said. "He and Scanlan can bring matchup problems."
Loyola's full-court press not only made life difficult for the hosts' star guards, it bothered their teammates in equal measure as the Dons bolted to a 16-6 lead in the opening period.
After senior Dan Vigus capitalized on a loose ball shuffled to him in the corner from a prone Floyd for a rare four-point play, the Dons' defense forced a slew of turnovers that forced Lochte to call a time out.
"Not once, not twice, but four times, we made the same cross-court pass that they picked off," Lochte said.
Although Dulaney cut the deficit to 20-15 early in the second quarter on a Darley three-pointer, the Lions (0-3) never got closer.
A jumper by junior Mitch Cross and two Vigus free throws quickly restored order for the Dons (3-2).
After junior Bennett Bradley's stick-back pushed the margin to a dozen near the end of the half, Loyola maintained its double-digit lead the rest of the way.
"Their physical play and disciplined defense, quite frankly, overwhelmed us," Lochte said. "We were prepared. We had seen tape of how they play. But in a good, hard, physical game, we did not handle their physical style of play very well."
Scoring summary
Loyola (63)- Mitch Cross, 9; Matt Dunn, 5; Jordan Floyd, 8; Taylor Janoskie, 9; Dan Vigus, 19; Bennett Bradley, 9; Jon Moran, 4
Dulaney (45)-Will Darley, 6; Gavan Scanlan, 11; Keaton Mock-Myers, 5; Chris Conway, 2; Zach Hill, 19; Jason Lawson, 2