Sals tops St. E, earn DIAA hoops title bout vs. Dover after Senators oust Middletown

A strong second half Thursday means Salesianum will play for a second straight DIAA Boys Basketball Tournament title Saturday.

Down two at halftime, Sallies quickly regained the lead in the third quarter and never gave it back, beating St. Elizabeth 65-51 at the sold-out Carpenter Center.

No. 4-seeded Salesianum (15-8) will face No. 2 Dover (22-2) at 6 p.m. Saturday in the final.

St. Elizabeth couldn’t cope with a slew of Sallies scoring threats, as the victors put four players in double figures – Kareem Thomas (24 points), R.J. Johnson (16 plus 10 rebounds), 2023 title game hero Isaiah Hynson (13) and Justin Hinds (10).

The Sals shot just 41.3-percent overall (19-for-46), but were especially ruthless beyond the arc (8-for-14) and at the foul line (19-for-26). They led 45-40 entering the fourth period and pulled away.

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Temple signee Aiden Tobiason scored 19 and Steven Nix added 12 points for the Vikings, who were undermined by 18 turnovers and poor 3-point aim (3-for-16). No. 1-seeded St. Elizabeth (22-2) had downed the No. 4 Sals 84-77 on the Vikings' home court Jan. 7.

Salesianum is the defending champion and trying to repeat its back-to-back 2014 and 2015 titles. St, Elizabeth had prevailed in its lone boys title game appearance in 2018.

Dover is seeking its first state boys basketball title after dropping five previous championship games, the last in 2019. The Senators beat Sallies in Wilmington 72-52 on Feb. 13 though the Sals were missing their head coach due to suspension and three starters.

Vikings led at halftime

St. Elizabeth took the lead and momentum into halftime in the second DIAA Boys Basketball Tournament semifinal tonight at the Carpenter Center. Aiden Tobiason’s first basket of the night, a 3-pointer from the corner, sent the Vikings into halftime up 29-27 on Salesianum.

R.J. Johnson had just scored on a drive to inch the Sals ahead 27-26. But that followed a 10-0 St. E run that featured a couple drives to the basket by Cade Harrison.

The game remained a scoreless tie before Salesianum got its first points with 3:49 left in the first period on Justin Hinds’ 3-pointer and St. Elizabeth followed with 2:23 on the clock as Steven Nixon had a 3-point play. Three-pointers by Kareem Thomas and Hinds sent the Sals into the second period up 14-8.

The Sals then led by as many as nine in the second period on a couple baskets by Johnson, who has 11 points. Hinds has nine points. Nixon’s nine lead the Vikings, who are shooting 55 percent (11-for-20).

Dover wins first semifinal

Dover’s Denim Perkins stole the basketball and zipped down the court to drain a lay-up.

It was symbolic of what keyed the Senators’ success Thursday night.

That play midway through the fourth period sparked a late Dover surge that pushed it past Middletown 59-53 in the DIAA Boys Basketball Tournament semifinals at the Carpenter Center.

Dover will now wait for the winner of the second game between St, Elizabeth and Salesianum to determine its Saturday night title-game foe in its bid for a first state boys basketball championship.

Perkins’ basket ignited a stretch that allowed Dover to take its biggest lead, 52-42 with 3 minutes to play. Middletown couldn't get closer than six points thereafter thanks to a 3-pointer at the buzzer and digested a second straight semifinal defeat.

Dover scored 23 of its points off turnovers and 36 in the paint. Middletown had 17 turnovers, three more than Dover.

The Senators seized opportunity, shooting 44.7 percent from the field (21-for-47) to Middletown's 41.7 percent (22-for-53).

The foul line was even more of a factor, as Dover went 14-for-19 to Middletown's 6-for-15.

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Dorell Little led Dover with 16 points and four steals, JayVion Dennis had 13 points and seven rebounds and Perkins scored 12 points.

Zion Mifflin was Middletown's only double-digit scorer with 15 points.

Dover up through 3

Dover and Middletown will need the final quarter to settle their DIAA Boys Basketball Tournament semifinal at the Carpenter Center. Dover leads 42-33, keyed by a 9-0 run late in the period that was ignited by JayVon Denis' 3-pointer.

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Middletown took its first lead since early in the game on Aviyon Matthews' drive to the basket that made it 31-30 with 3:34 left in the third quarter. The Cavaliers still led 35-33 after two baskets inside by Eric Mathenge.

Dorell Little has 14 points for Dover.

Senators lead at halftime

Dover leads Middletown 27-22 after a fast-paced first half in the DIAA Boys Basketball Tournament semifinals at the Carpenter Center tonight.

Dorell Little's 10 points lead the Senators, who have shot 47.8 percent from the field (11-for-23) and have had success getting to the basket.

Middletown has made 10 of its 25 shots (40 percent) but it 0-for-7 on 3-pointers (Dover is 1-for-7). Clyde Frasier's eight points lead the Cavaliers.

Energetic defense has been crucial for both teams, as each has seven turnovers, with a couple that Dover forced keying its 15-7 lead after the first quarter.

Middletown has a 15-13 edge on the boards but the Cavs have made just 2 of 5 foul shots to Dover's 4-for-4.

Contact Kevin Tresolini at ktresolini@delawareonline.com and follow on Twitter @kevintresolini. Support local journalism by subscribing to delawareonline.com and our DE Game Day newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Dover vs. Middletown, St. Elizabeth vs. Salesianum in DIAA semifinals