What a difference 10 days makes.

Although the Archbishop Stepinac High School Crusaders won both meetings with Bronx rival St. Raymond High School for Boys Ravens, Friday night’s incarnation of Stepinac was smoother, more relaxed, and tighter in the 89-80 win.

Unlike Stepinac’s 67-64 victory on January 7 at St. Ray’s, the Crusaders played as a cohesive unit throughout and didn’t dig themselves a double-digit hole that required a second half comeback.

Stepinac Senior Danny Carbuccia wrote himself into his school’s basketball record books during the game, surpassing 500 career assists. 

After some initial back and forth between the two teams, St. Ray’s started to wobble after the Ravens’ senior guard Brandon Stores Jr. was called for a technical foul for slapping the ball away during a change of possession. It was a strange misstep from Stores, who finished as his team’s — and the game’s — top scorer with 30 points. St. Ray’s led 19-16 at the end of the first quarter.

The team effort that drove Stepinac throughout the contest came to life in the second quarter. During the game eight players scored for the Crusaders, including five in double digits. The home team led 41-31 at the half, with 6’11 junior Darius Ratliff stufing home three straight dunks in the second quarter.

Unlike the numerous scorers that contributed to the Ravens’ close loss 10 days earlier, St. Ray’s scoring was largely limited to Stores Jr., junior Ibrahima Camara, and senior Tai Turnage, with the trio contributing the bulk of their team’s points.