(QUEEN CREEK, Ariz.) Jace Olson had a career night on Monday evening, scoring 26 points in 27 minutes to lead Gilbert Christian to an 82-50 win at Benjamin Franklin. The junior sharp-shooter went 11-for-19 from the floor, grabbed six off of the glass and notched four steals in the affair for the Knights.
When asked what defined the victory, Olson spoke just one word: "humility."
The team's devotional prior to the start of the contest relayed as much, focusing on Isaiah 66:1-2 which states,
This says the LORD: "Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is my place of rest? All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be," declares the LORD. "But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my Word."
The 'team-over-self' motto certainly translated into success on the court against the Chargers, as the Knights dominated in nearly every statistical category en route to the 32-point win.
Seniors Keon Talgo and Lopemi Omole recorded 16 and 13 points, respectively, while sophomore Kamari Stanbury scored seven and dished out a pair of assists for GCHS. Omole led the rebounding effort, with 10, to post the clutch double-double.
The Knights tallied 14 assists and 10 steals in the game. The feisty defensive effort saw GCHS force an impressive 22 turnovers, which converted to 25 points on the offensive end.
"We are continuing to get better, especially on the defensive side of the ball," Head Coach Jason Pasquariello said. "We had good looks in the first half but just weren't hitting from three. I have to credit to our defense for creating offense in transition from the second quarter on. Caleb Schinker had the defensive assignment to guard one of their best and he held him to two points. Caleb also had a tough 'And-1' finish to end the first half. He does a lot of things that don't make the stat sheet but are so important, and he is a good example of what selfless looks like on the court."
Schinker finished with five points, two rebounds, two steals and an assist for the Knights.
Up next for Gilbert Christian is the Saguaro Basketball Holiday Classic. The Knights are set to take on New Trier (IL) in the opening round of the bracketed tournament on Thursday, December 14th (3:00pm).
-GO KNIGHTS-
