The Marian boys’ basketball team finally struck some gold.

Using a flurry of scoring in a roaring third quarter output, the Colts knocked the pins from beneath the Red Raiders en route to an impressive 72-49 Schuylkill League Division II victory Monday.

Where things finally came to the fore for Marian was a 29-point third quarter rally, in which its coach Scott Murphy said, “it’s our best game of the season,” even though there are 15 to play. The bright lights shined heavily on Marian sophomore center Rocco Griguoli. The 6-4 Colt reeled in a career-high 18 rebounds, while slipping in nine points.

“It’s all about working hard (in practice),” said Griguoli. “Yes, at times it was physical, but I like it that way. I enjoy getting those rebounds so I can get it to my guys (for shots). I was able to get into good position to get those misses.”

Balance was the key to the outcome. Marian had three players score in double figures. It was led by the De La Cruz brothers, Justin with 17 points and Jacob with 14. In the mix with 11 points unsung Yaniel Nunez.

“I don’t remember the last time a Marian (boys) basketball team started five underclassman,” Murphy said. “We are young, we’ve got a number of those underclassmen who are going to be with us (for) a few years.”

Marian set the tempo in the first eight minutes. It reeled in eight points to open the contest, built a 15-3 lead, thanks mostly to Justin De La Cruz’s nine points, all coming from behind the arc.

“Sometimes we take all those shots and its an up-and-down tempo, which can be a good thing,” Murphy said. “And that gets crazy for Coach (Paul) Brutto, who wants us to play the other end (on defense), but the game is so (fast paced) with possessions,”

Try putting the brakes on the De La Cruz brothers and you asking for a train wreck. These kids love the fastbreak and three-point shooting is their forte. It showed huge in the third quarter. One need only to look at Jacob De La Cruz, as he flipped the switch, helping Marian take total control. The Colts led 26-20 at the intermission, then let loose with a roundhouse of a rally over the first eight minutes of the second half.

“When JD gets hot, he is a tough player,” Murphy said of 5-11 junior Jacob De La Cruz.

To be sure, Jacob was boiling hot with 12 points in the runoff, missing all of two shots, one from the three-point line, the other that just rolled off the rim. Yaniel Nunez, another underclassman and underrated guard, poured in nine in the period and Justin De La Cruz had five. It also helped as Griguoli snagged four offensive rebounds in the quarter.

The only time Lourdes had an answer came in the second quarter. Brighton Scicchitano, who led his side with 14 points, teamed with Billy Rishell (nine points) to inch within striking distance at 21-18 with 1:03 to play in the opening half. However, Domnic Catrone buried a triple to give his team a bit of breathing room with a 26-20 lead at the half.

The third quarter shelling allowed Marian to coast to the finish line.

STACKING IT UP … Marian’s rebounding edge of 45-30 was the significant difference in the game. Also at the forefront; Marian shot 29-of-60 and a blazing 12-for-22 in the third quarter. Lourdes finished 22-of-49, and 13-for-26 in the second half.

JUNIOR VARSITY … Marian won out in the junior varsity contest, 61-31. Greg Tirpak led the Colts with 13 points. Teammate Rafeal Colon scored 11 points. Jerry Sheganoski had 13 points for Lourdes.

LOURDES

Scicchitano 7-0-1-14, Renn 4-0-0-10, Moore 4-1-2-9, B. Rishel 4-0-2-8, Williams 2-0-0-5, R. Rishel 1-0-0-3, Baranoski 0-0-0-0, Sandri 0-0-0-0, Yablonski 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 22-1-5-49.

MARIAN

Ja. De La Cruz 7-0-0-17, Ju. De La Cruz 5-0-0-14, Nunez 4-2-4-11, Griguoli 4-1-2-9. Rodino 3-0-0-8, Tom 3-0-0-6, Catrino 2-0-0-5, Matos 1-0-0-2, Price 0-0-0-0, Tirpak 0-0-0-0, Cannon 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 29-3-6-72.

Lourdes 6 14 11 18 - 49

Marian 15 11 29 17 - 72

Three-pointers: Lourdes - Renn 2, Moore 1, Williams 1; Marian - Ja. De La Cruz 4, Ju. De La Cruz 3, Ferreira 2, Nunez 1, Catrone 1.

Records: Lourdes (1-4, 0-4); Marian (3-3, 2-2).