Mount Saint Joseph sophomore guard Chauncey Word pestered Glenelg Country guards possession after possession in the second half. Possessing elite quickness and athleticism, Word took the Dragons’ offense out of rhythm with tenacious perimeter pressure.
It was a guarantee that whichever way a Glenelg Country player dribbled, Word was glued to their hip, refusing to allow an easy opening. His efforts sparked the Gaels’ second-half turnaround as they flipped a four-point halftime deficit to an 11-point lead after the third quarter.
“The mindset is to mainly get the ball out of their hands, put some pressure on them so they don’t need the ball no more,” Word said after a 64-53 win. “I get an adrenaline boost as I get a couple of stops and I feel like getting a little more.”
In addition to leading the defensive charge, Word also took over offensively when needed. Glenelg Country cut the lead to three inside of four minutes left. However, Word showcased his offensive capabilities with an individual seven-point spurt that gave the third-ranked Gaels a late cushion.
“Chauncey, he really impacted the game on both ends in the second half,” Mount Saint Joseph coach Pat Clatchey said. “His poise, composure, big shots and big free throws. Really his ball pressure was large. He’s quick as hell and he’s athletic. When he doesn’t reach, he can be really effective. Also, when the other defenders see that type of effort and impact, it becomes kind of contagious.”
Clatchey constantly preached the importance of ball pressure. He felt as though that would disrupt the Dragons’ guards and give them less time to execute their offensive sets. While it showed in spurts early, the Gaels flawlessly ratcheted up their defensive intensity in the second half.
The Dragons regrouped early in the fourth with a 6-1 run that trimmed the deficit. Then, Gaels sophomore guard Aaron Early Jr. electrified the bench and his entire group with a much-needed momentum boost.
One on one in transition, Early rose high above the rim and threw down a thunderous left-handed poster jam over Donavan Marshburn that put momentum squarely back on the Gaels’ side. Mount Saint Joseph’s bench and fans tapped their heads in approval of the ferocious slam with expressions of shock and awe.
“During warmups, I’m talking the coaches and I was like, ‘Yo, that rim looks a little low, I might be able to get a dunk,’” Early said. “That was my only opportunity, so I tried it and you saw the result. It was great. I haven’t got a dunk in a minute; it was a great feeling.”
Despite Early’s highlight, Glenelg Country started to chip away and make a comeback as the raucous student section roared louder with each a bucket. A 3-pointer from Marshburn and a layup from Kayden Leggett got the Dragons within three, the closest they’d been since the opening minutes of the second half.
However, Marshburn’s fifth foul that soon followed was a fatal blow to their comeback hopes. Glenelg Country’s offense struggled mightily without their main initiator and fell into some of the same issues that plagued it earlier in the game.
Down the stretch, Word used the same dynamic speed that wreaked havoc defensively to find creases offensively. He drew contact on consecutive possessions and didn’t let the rowdy student section rattle him.
Despite his youth, Word showed that he’s not afraid of the big moment. Winning on the road in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association A Conference isn’t easy, and Word’s phenomenal two-way performance cemented the pivotal road win.
Mount Saint Joseph (10-2, 3-0 A Conference Black Division) has lit up the stat sheet offensively, averaging 78.4 points so far this season. However, Friday night’s win showed that the Gaels can also execute on the defensive end of the floor, which will be key as they move into the heart of the season moving forward.
“I hate playing on the road,” Clatchey said. “It’s almost like two wins. It’s a win and it’s a road win, they’re like gold.”
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MSJ- 12 15 22 15- 64
GC- 13 18 7 15- 53
MSJ: Aaron Early Jr. 15, BJ Ranson 14, Chauncey Word 13, Saxton Simley 8, Kenneth Anthony 6, Zikom Etolue 6, Bryce Hudgins 2.
GC: Donavan Marshburn 19, Kayden Leggett 10, Shawn DuPont 7, Drew Harris 6, Nasir Wilson 4, Jacob Williams 4, Malakai Jones 3.