Dan Hurley’s St. Benedict’s Gray Bees have reached the semifinals of the Gatorade International Championship in Puerto Rico.
St. Ben’s, No. 3 in the USA Today Super 25, will face Bayamon Military of Puerto Rico in the semis on Monday at 5:30.
The Gray Bees downed St. Francis of Puerto Rico 82-72 Saturday night at Coliseo Guillermo Angulo behind a combined 70 points from Tristan Thompson, Tavon Sledge, Tamir Jackson and Aaron Brown.
The Texas-bound Thompson posted a double-double of 21 points and 10 rebounds. Sledge added 19 points while the Rice-bound Jackson and Brown, an uncommitted junior, tallied 15 points apiece.
St. Ben’s was 27 of 33 from the stripe, while St. Francis went 14 of 19.
In the first game, a 95-36 victory over Toa Alta Esc. Adela Rolon, Brown poured in 22 points, Jackson and Thompson had 13 apiece and Mike Poole scored 10.
St. Ben’s recently won the Kreul Classic in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. on a game-winning layup by Brown.
***Speaking of St. Ben’s, here’s an interesting feature from the Lancaster (Pa.) paper on Pittsburgh-bound forward Lamar Patterson, who is prepping at St. Ben’s to prepare physically and mentally for the Big East.
