Avella pulls away from Aquinas to keep section title hopes alive
AVELLA – The eight seniors on the Avella boys basketball team all listed a memorable moment that was read over the public address system when they walked out on the court with their families.
They will all like to amend those moments now after blitzing Aquinas Academy in the fourth quarter on their way to a key 69-50 win in a Class A Section 1 Tuesday night.
“100-percent, this is definitely the best moment now,” Avella guard Bryce Wright said.
And that could change again by the end of the week.
“If we beat Beaver (County Christian) Friday and Aquinas (Academy) beats Nazareth Prep and we win the section then that’ll be the best moment,” Wright said. “That’s when it will change. When our (section championship) banner says 2026 up there.”
Avella’s eight seniors are Wright, Alex Brandenburg, Cody Clegg, Nate Cilia, Brayden Fuller, Cody Day, Rylan Bell and Brayden Davis.
They left the court happy and in sole possession of second place in the Class A Section 1 standings and a chance to win a section title for the first time since 2011. Avella is 7-2 in section and 16-4 overall. Aquinas fell to 6-3 and 9-9.
An 18-0 run in the fourth quarter made sure that happened.
It started with a quick 7-0 spurt where Fuller hit a three, Wright made a layup on a fast break and Cam Ullom finished a basket inside to make it 52-42 and force an Aquinas Academy timeout.
The Eagles were fired up as they went to the bench.
“This environment was great tonight,” Cilia said. “We honestly could be undefeated right now. We dropped four winnable games and we told ourselves we were going to come out and play good basketball tonight. I’m proud of our guys.”
Once play resumed they continued to pull away.
Cilia, Fuller and Ullom made a basket each and the Crusaders called another timeout.
Ullom made another basket before a three by Sam Welliver ended the 18-0 run.
“I think we had a 30-0 run against Nazareth Prep when we played them here earlier this year, so when we get at it, we can play with anyone,” Avella coach Mike Macik said. “We didn’t shoot as well as we could tonight, but we played very good defense. (Aquinas) scores 60 to 70 points a game, so we did a good job.”
Avella led by six at halftime and maintained that lead into the third quarter.
Wright had two baskets inside, including a buzzer beater after Aquinas had cut the lead to two points.
The game was tied 19-19 after a fast-paced first quarter.
Avella led for most of the quarter, but a late 10-0 run by Aquinas Academy gave it a brief 19-17 lead.
Jonah Burchill and Clayton Frissora had a three-pointer each in the quarter.
Cam Ullom converted a layup inside in the final seconds to tie it.
Avella again got off to a hot start in the second quarter.
Fuller hit a three-pointer and Cilia converted a drive to put Avella ahead 24-19. Ullom had baskets in the paint on consecutive possessions to stretch the lead to six.
Aquinas lived and died by three. All three of their baskets in the second quarter were from beyond the arc. Burchill had two and Harry Hynds had one.
Two baskets by Rylan Bell and a three by Fuller gave Avella a 35-29 lead heading into halftime.
Wright led four Eagles in double figures with 14 points and he had 10 rebounds. Ullom finished with 13, Fuller scored 12 and Rylan Bell had 11.
Burchill scored 24 for the Crusaders.
Aquinas Academy 19 10 8 13 – 50
Avella 19 16 8 27 – 69
Aquinas Academy: Jonah Burchill, 24 points; Sam Duer, 11.
Avella: Bryce Wright, 14; Cam Ullom, 13; Brayden Fuller, 12; Rylan Bell, 11.