Silas, Pitts, and Kelly Score in Double Figures to Lead Trojans to Title
WILDWOOD, NJ—Entering the 2021-22 Greater Middlesex Conference boys basketball season, the top ranked St. Thomas Aquinas Trojans were probably the most talented on paper. With its 65-31 victory over Archbishop Carroll in the Championship Game of the Jay Craven Memorial Bracket at the 2021 Boardwalk Basketball Classic, the Trojans have made that a reality as well as navigated a fierce COVID surge to start the season at 7-0.
Although the Trojans lost to Colonia in the 2021 Karl Anthony Towns-Jay Williams Pod last March, they managed to play every game they had in front of them despite the obstacles presented by COVID, and they continue to do that early on this season. For the second straight game, senior guard Adam Silas and junior guard Terrell Pitts led the way as they shared the game high with 18 points.
However, this time, the duo of Silas and Pitts got some additional help in the form of sophomore Jaden Kelly, who continues to play well with 14 points in the win. Leading only 15-12 at the end of one period, Aquinas outscored Carroll by a margin of 50-19 the rest of the way for the easy win. Silas had 10 of his team’s 15 points in the opening period on two threes and a couple two point baskets.
Pitts then took over after that with 5 points in the 2nd, 7 more points in the third, and four in the final frame as he scored 16 of his 18 points over the last three quarters. Kelly, who didn’t score at all in the opening period, and only had four points at the half, scored 10 points in the second half including eight in the fourth quarter on two threes and a two point basket
Kamal Lee also contributed by adding 7 points including five in the first half. Samar Abdullah (3 points) and Sherief Guinyard (2 points) rounded out the scoring for the Trojans. St. Thomas Aquinas outscored Archbishop Carroll by a margin of 32 to 18 from inside the arc, 24-12 from beyond the arc, and 9-1 from the charity stripe. Aquinas converted 9 of 16 from the foul line on the night.
Silas, who entered tournament play averaging just over 18 points per game, scored 55 total points over the three games for an 18.3 points per game average in the tourney. Pitts, who averaged 16 over the final two rounds of the tournament, averaged 12.3 points per game during the three games of the tourney. As a team, Aquinas averaged 54.3 points per game while yielding 34.3 points per game in the tournament.
The Trojans will be back in action on Sunday, January 2nd in the New Year’s Jump-Off at Hackensack High School versus St. Peter’s Prep of Jersey City at 5:30 PM. The Marauders, led by hoops standout, Mark Armstrong, are coming off a 51-46 victory at Hudson Catholic on December 20th, and are currently 3-0.