Roman's Kirklands come through in win

Wes and Will Kirkland share a birthday, play basketball for Roman Catholic, are being recruited by the same colleges, and had an equal share in the Cahillites' Catholic League Southern Division victory over Neumann-Goretti yesterday at Philadelphia University.

Wes Kirkland knocked down the last of Roman's nine three-pointers to give the Cahillites the lead for good, and Will Kirkland knocked the ball away from the Saints with 1 second remaining to preserve Roman's 65-62 win.

Neumann (5-4, 0-1) crawled back from a 48-42 deficit to take a 59-57 lead. But with 2 minutes, 9 seconds to go in the game, Wes (eight points) converted a three from the right corner to put the Cahillites (5-2, 2-0) up by 60-59.

With less than 10 seconds left and Roman holding a precarious 64-62 lead, Neumann-Goretti took the ball up the floor, but Will Kirkland (five points) knocked it away in front of the Saints' bench, and the possession arrow gave the ball to the Cahillites with just one tick left on the clock.

Will Kirkland was fouled by Dan Stewart with two-tenths of a second remaining and drained the first of two free throws to produce the final score.

For the second game in a row, Roman drained nine three-pointers, and for the second straight game, Maalik Wayns (27 points) had five and Wes Kirkland had one.

"It was a shot I knew I had to make," Wes Kirkland said. "I just concentrated and focused on one shot. It was an important shot we needed, so I took my time concentrating and focusing."

Cahillites coach Dennis Seddon didn't miss the significance of the shot.

"That's huge," he said. "It is huge. He just has to be a little patient - both Kirklands have got to be a little bit patient and their shots will come, because everybody's going to double or overplay Maalik."

Both brothers are being recruited by Rider, Siena and Quinnipiac.

But before they embark on new careers, they have one to complete now, hoping to defend their Catholic League title.

Roman Catholic 16 19 15 15 - 65

Neumann-Goretti 20 16 12 14 - 62

RC: Rakeem Brookens 7, Aaron Brown 9, Will Kirkland 5, Wes Kirkland 8, Courtney Stanley 9, Maalik Wayns 27.

NG: Tony Chennault 17, Tyreek Duren 8, Daniel Stewart 11, Tyrell Taylor 5, Jamal Wilson 21.