Neumann-Goretti boys beat Bonner-Prendergast, 78-70, despite 44 points from Isaiah Wong

A few hours before the Neumann-Goretti Saints hosted Bonner-Prendergast Friday night, Saints assistant coach Pat Sorrentino opined, “Some days we look like we can beat the Knicks. Sometimes we look like we can’t beat anybody.”

The Knicks had their hands full in the NBA Friday night, so the Saints, who never trailed, knocked off the previously undefeated Friars, 78-70, despite 44 points from Miami recruit Isaiah Wong, who scored 36 points in the second half and 24 in the fourth quarter alone.

The Saints (8-2, 4-0), however, left with a win and more balanced box score.

Neumann-Goretti junior point guard Hakim Byrd led the way with 23 points, while Rider recruit Chris Ings added 19.

Junior Cameron Young added 13 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.

Ja’Cor Smith added 9 points for Neumann-Goretti, and Jordan Hall, a transfer from Cardinal O’Hara, hit an important three-pointer with about 2 minutes, 4 seconds left, pushing the Saints' lead to 71-62.

Wong, who was blanketed in the first half by Ings and Baseem Cooper, had just 8 points at the intermission for the Friars (10-1, 4-1).

His teammates eventually looked for him more often in the third quarter, which led to a 12-point burst in that period. He added 24 more points in the fourth quarter and finished with 8 rebounds and 7 steals. Donovan Rodriguez, with 15 points, was the only other Friar in double digits.

Bonner-Prendergast 13 13 17 27 -- 70

Neumann-Goretti 18 24 14 22 -- 78

BP: Isaiah Wong 44, Tariq Ingraham 5, Tyreese Watson 3, James Welde 2, Chris Haynes 1, Donovan Rodriguez 15.

NG: Hakim Byrd 23, Chris Ings 19, Ja’Cor Smith 9, Chris Evans 9, Jordan Hall 5, Cameron Young 13.