The Bulldogs finish 27-2 as they capture the Knoxville Independent School League tourney crown
The East Tennessee Catholic
The varsity boys basketball team at St. Joseph School secured the Knoxville Independent School League Division 2 championship on Feb. 6 with a 48-46 victory over Berean Christian School, avenging last year’s loss in the same title game.
The intense matchup, held at St. Joseph’s gym, saw the 27-2 Bulldogs storm the court in jubilant celebration after earning the win over their rivals.
This year’s St. Joseph team was a blend of familiar faces and fresh talent, as the Bulldogs lost eight players from the previous season.
“We were fortunate to have a strong, experienced eighth-grade class move up to varsity this season,” said head coach Sal DiGennaro. “Along with some key transfers, the team built a chemistry focused on defense and toughness. We set a goal to be the best defensive team in the league this season.”
The championship game was a back-and-forth battle, with St. Joseph maintaining a slim lead throughout. The Bulldogs led 13-9 after the first quarter and held a narrow 21-20 advantage at halftime. Coming out of the break, the Bulldogs gained momentum, outscoring Berean 15-9 in the third quarter to extend their lead to 36-29. However, Berean mounted a fierce comeback, erasing the deficit with a series of timely 3-pointers.
Despite the Eagles’ resilience, the Bulldogs stood firm, with guards Jashaun Stansberry and Frank Mancini responding with crucial fast-break layups whenever Berean made a run.
With time winding down, Evan Young took a critical offensive charge against Berean’s center. The referees added 0.4 seconds to the clock, giving the Bulldogs possession under the Eagles’ basket. Frank made a heads-up play, tossing the ball high for Evan to bat away, effectively ending the game and securing the victory for St. Joseph.
Jashaun, the tournament most valuable player, led the Bulldogs with a double-double, scoring 17 points on 8-of-9 shooting and grabbing 10 rebounds as well as dishing out four assists. Frank, an all-tournament selection, contributed 10 points, seven assists, and three steals.
All-KISL player Evan added nine points, including a pivotal 3-pointer in the third quarter, along with six rebounds, three steals, two blocks, and the game-clinching charge. Nathan Allen, another all-KISL player, scored five points, grabbed four rebounds, and made two key steals. James Ingram, an all-tournament player, had seven points and four rebounds in his third tournament start.
KISL tournament most valuable player Jashaun Stansberry of St. Joseph attacks the basket and scores two of his 17 points in the championship game against Berean. (Photo courtesy Sal DiGennaro)
Mr. DiGennaro expressed pride in his team’s efforts.
“This is a special group, a brotherhood, and their success is a testament to the hard work of both our coaches and players,” he said. “They’ve been grinding since last spring—through summer and fall—leading up to this moment. Our program fosters a competitive environment, and we continually adjusted our starting lineup to give each player an opportunity for starting experience.”
Reflecting on the season, Mr. DiGennaro said, “We’ve had a lot of memorable moments this year—winning the Knoxville Christian School Christmas Tournament championship in overtime, going undefeated in KISL Division 2 league play, running a 25-game win streak, and now claiming the league championship.
“Nathan Allen broke the school record by hitting 82 3-pointers this season, increasing his career total to 130, and Frank Mancini set a school record with 217 career assists. These kinds of seasons don’t come around too often, and I’m so proud of every player’s contribution.
“We truly went 12 deep on our roster with Tommy Aalders providing needed post support, James Zengel, Bobby Schaad, and Nicky Sutherland being our utility players, and shooters Jeremiah Santos-Silva, Holden Sharp, and Caleb Bales nailing timely 3-pointers when needed. It truly takes a team with the ‘we greater than me’ attitude to earn this kind of success.”
Mr. DiGennaro said that with the victory, the Bulldogs proved that teamwork, resilience, and dedication can lead to greatness, and that the tourney championship is a well-deserved achievement for a team whose players never stopped believing in themselves.
St. Joseph went 7-0 in regular-season league play to earn the top seed in the KISL tournament.
In the first round of the tourney, St. Joseph defeated St. John Neumann 40-15. Nathan scored 12 points, going 4-for-8 on 3-pointers. Evan added 10 points and six rebounds, Jashaun seven points and three assists, Tommy five points, and Frank four points, seven rebounds, and four assists.
The Bulldogs topped the Knoxville Ambassadors 45-18 in the tourney semifinals Feb. 4. Nathan tallied a team-high 13 points, hitting three of his seven 3-point attempts, with Evan scoring 11 points with three blocks. Jashaun added 10 points, and Frank recorded seven points, nine assists, and six steals.
