Saints Peter & Paul basketball goes back-to-back in MIAA C Conference

by Derek Toney

As the lone starter from last year’s championship team, Garett Hemingway didn’t have huge expectations for Saints Peter Paul basketball this winter.

“I didn’t know what we had, we had a lot of young guys, a lot of JV guys,” said Hemingway. “I didn’t know what we were going to do.”

With Hemingway leading a new cast, the Sabres returned to familiar territory Saturday evening. Saints Peter & Paul repeated as MIAA C Conference champions with a 60-50 victory over Key School at UMBC’s Chesapeake Employees Insurance Arena.

Hemingway, a senior guard/forward, led all scorers with 29 points for the Easton school (19-4 overall) which became the first school to go back-to-back in the C since Cristo Rey Jesuit in 2019 and 2020. 

The Sabers defeated Beth Tfiloh Thursday in the semifinals as Hemingway became the first player to reach 2,000 career points.

Hemingway finished with 37 points. 

Though Hemingway was the lone double-digit scorer Saturday, Saints Peter & Paul got huge efforts on the defensive end. Junior guard JJ Rardin and freshman reserve Jamir Derby combined for 10 steals and Porter Bishop and Robert Mangold combined for 17 rebounds.

“The defense is way better this year and the intensity on defense,” said Hemingway. “A lot of guys accepted the role they had to play, obviously I had to score a lot...I’m not here without my teammates.”

Sabers coach Gary Gould said he had cautious optimism entering the season.

“I knew we had a lot of young guys but I didn’t think we were going to be this good,” said Gould. “After the third practice, the intensity and focus that I saw, I was hoping we could sustain for this season and we did. We didn’t have any lulls.”

After back-to-back losses including a double overtime loss to Key, Saints Peter & Paul won its final 14 decisions, all by double-digits. The Sabers never trailed Saturday after the Obezags opened the game with a three-pointer.

After closing the first period with a 22-4 run for a 15-point advantage, the Sabers saw their lead dwindle to three midway in the second before amping their defense for a 31-21 halftime cushion. The lead double, 45-25, late in the third after a Bishop basket.

Key rallied in the fourth, trailing just 48-42 with 3 minutes, 6 seconds left. Hemingway answered with a score off an assist from Demby.

Hemingway scored 10 points in the final frame, including a dunk with 29 seconds remaining in regulation. He went to the bench for the final time as a Saber with 16.2 seconds after hitting two free throws.

Gould was amazed by Hemingway’s growth the last four seasons.

“He was a shooter as a freshman, he had a little more responsibility his sophomore year but last year and this year being the guy, he did well,” said Gould. “This probably was his worst game scoring-wise…he did the little work, getting the rebounds. He was Garett.”

Sophomore guard Anja Yette finished with 21 points for Key (11-9), which last won the C title in 2018. 

Obezags coach Brent Coleman said turnovers and rebounding was their undoing Saturday, but credited the senior class of Noah Moore, AJ Manganaro, Austin Neise, Ethan Booker, Christian Dent and Angus Lunt-Woodward for keeping the team afloat through the highs and lows of the season.

He also tipped his hat to Hemingway, who knew he would be a problem as a freshman. 

“Every year he’s added something to his game,” said Coleman, who remembered having to double-team Hemingway in the team’s first match three seasons ago. “He was just a shooter in ninth grade, then as a sophomore he started playing defense. The next year, he’s attacking the basket. He didn’t shoot great tonight, but he did what does.”

Hemingway, who has a scholarship offer from Division 3 Randolph College, was still processing the end of his impressive high school career. A three-time all-MIAA C selection (with a fourth in the coming weeks), Hemingway helped Saints Peter & Paul to three C title games.

“It’s pretty surreal,” Hemingway said.