Hicks Answers the Call in Notre Dame’s Win Over Alemany, 88-72

When Notre Dame High guard Bruce Heicke went down with a season-ending injury last week in the Knights’ loss to Crespi, teammate Ken Hicks took it upon himself to take a more active role in Notre Dame’s offense.

Against Alemany on Tuesday night, Hicks was hyperactive. The 6-foot, 4-inch junior scored 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting as Notre Dame beat the Indians, 88-72, in a Del Rey League game at Alemany.

Notre Dame improved to 12-8 overall, 8-2 in league play and assured itself of a berth in the Southern Section 5-A playoffs, which begin in two weeks.

The win kept Notre Dame within a half-game of first-place Loyola (8-1 in league play).

“When Bruce got hurt, that was 20 points we lost and someone had to pick up the scoring,” Hicks said. “But not only the scoring, also the all-around game, defense.”

Against Alemany (7-12, 3-6), it was Hicks who stepped to the front.

Hicks made 3 of his 4 first-quarter shots and 6 of 10 in the first half. Although he appeared confident throughout the half, Hicks said it was not until one of his earlier shots took a lucky bounce that he knew he as on a roll.

“It hit the top of the backboard and fell in,” Hicks said. “Once I hit that, I knew I would do good.”

Hicks did even better in the second half. He made his first four shots and 6 of 7 in the third quarter. Hicks was also instrumental in Notre Dame’s trapping defense, which helped expand a seven-point lead to 64-52 at the end of the third quarter.

“He did a good job on both ends,” Notre Dame Coach Mick Cady said.

But he wasn’t the only one. Brian Jones had 15 points and forward Jim Cashman and center Ed Cogan each had 11 points and 10 rebounds.

“We talked about what we did as a team,” Cady said of the adjustments the Knights have made with Heicke, an all-league guard, out of the lineup.

“A lot of the people who had sacrificed their offense had to give more,” Cady said.

For Alemany Coach Joe Anlauf, this new offensive awareness meant a bigger problem for his team which, because of injuries and disciplinary problems, is down to seven players.

“They had too much for us,” Anlauf said. “They played a little harder and had too many horses.”

Alemany kept it close for most of the first half. Notre Dame led, 17-12, at the end of the first quarter and by as many as 15 points midway through the second, but Alemany outscored the Knights, 10-2, to close out the half.

“They had some shooters and they kept themselves in the game,” Cady said.

But Notre Dame had a shooter of its own and Hicks plugged Alemany with 13 third-quarter points. Alemany had one last run when Dave Berganio hit three consecutive three-point shots near the end of the third quarter.

After Berganio’s third basket, which made the score 54-52, Notre Dame outscored the Indians, 34-20, to end the game.

“They were playing our tempo,” Cady said. “And our press got to their legs. It was going to tire them eventually and it did in the fourth quarter.”

Berganio led all scorers with 31 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Teammates Jon Beauchemin and Tony Lopez added 19 and 17 points, but most of their baskets, along with Berganio’s, came from the perimeter.

“Outside shooting never wins games,” Anlauf said. “Twenty-five feet and out doesn’t win it. You’ve got to win it down in the paint.”

Notre Dame’s front line outscored Alemany’s, 37-20.