Tsangeos paces Flintridge Prep boys’ basketball past defending champion Chadwick

As a quarterback on the Flintridge Prep football team, Andrew Tsangeos is accustomed to competing aggressively with a hard-nosed style of play.

Many of those attributes that made Tsangeos an all-league standout on the gridiron have carried over to the hardwood in his role as a starter on the Rebels boys’ basketball team.

In opening Prep League play Wednesday afternoon against defending champion Chadwick, Tsangeos was a catalyst for the Rebels, continually driving to the basketball and drawing contact in the paint. The senior stepped up in the second half, scoring 15 of his 18 points, to help Flintridge Prep to a 59-42 victory at home.

PHOTOS: Flintridge Prep defeats Chadwick in Prep League opener

“I think one of my strengths in basketball is using my physicality and using my body because I usually outweigh everybody out here by a good 10 to 15 pounds,” said Tsangeos, who also had 16 rebounds, four steals and two blocks. “I can go through the lane and I feel maybe someone hitting me on my arm and its nothing close to what it is in football.

“My coach tells me go straight to the hoop when I can, don’t deter from that path at all and you’re either going to get fouled or make a layup.”

The Rebels (9-2) also received 12 points and seven rebounds from senior Dante Fregoso. Jacob Brawer had seven points for Prep, which had 10 players score.

A victory by the Rebels in the league opener is a substantial accomplishment for a team that went just 2-6 in the Prep League a season ago and tied for last place in an uncustomary down showing in the league.

“Being the first league game and beating the defending league champs we’re hoping this sets the tone for us,” Rebels Coach Garret Ohara said. “With only eight league games, you really don’t have too much margin to mess up. We have eight returners from last year’s team and I think that’s a big plus for us.”

Flintridge Prep was able to benefit from some poor shooting from Chadwick (5-9), which converted just seven of 20 free-throw attempts in the game.

After taking a 19-12 lead following the first quarter, the Rebels clamped down on defense.

“Defense is what really makes us and it’s what wins games,” Tsangeos said. “Coach said before the game and at halftime that defense is what we hang our hats on and when we’re not shooting well we rely on our defense to get us through it.

“I think we flustered them a little early with our defense and I think they seemed a little out of it and they never really recovered.”

The defense helped Flintridge Prep enjoy a 33-21 advantage at halftime.

It was a dismal offensive showing for both teams in the third quarter, as they combined to miss the first 15 shots from the field and couldn’t convert a shot from the floor for almost five minutes into the frame.

That drought was finally quelled when Tsangeos hit a shot with 3:08 remaining in the third. The Rebels outscored the Dolphins, 9-7, in the third and Flintridge Prep went into the fourth quarter with a 42-27 lead.

“It’s a league game, it’s tough and teams are battling it out,” Ohara said. “It was good because although they were holding us, we were holding them, as well. Fortunately for us, we were able to keep the advantage we had at halftime because that was a good opportunity for them in the third.”

Kyle Civale paced Chadwick with 15 points.

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Jeff Tully, jeff.tully@latimes.com

Twitter: @jefftsports