photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Bishop Seabury freshman Lucien Brockhoff stands tall against driving St. Mary's junior Thomas Garland during a game with St. Mary's on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, at Bishop Seabury Academy.

A 20-point performance by junior Jace Smith helped the Seabury boys basketball squad keep their foot on the pedal Monday night in a 59-42 win over visiting St. Mary’s.

Smith’s game-high scoring was hardly the only storyline for the Seahawks (4-0), with three more starters – sophomore Jace Hoffman (16 points), junior Chase Honarvar (11 points) and senior Aidan Page – scoring in double figures to push past the Bears (3-1).

The well-rounded effort by his boys has Seabury coach Trey Johnson feeling good about his program’s footing heading into the holiday break. His group didn’t practice the week leading up to Monday night’s game due to final exams.

“Boogie (Hoffman) was just going to work,” Johnson said. “There’s four guys right there that can score very well. There’s not going to be a game where you’ll be stopping all four.”

photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Bishop Seabury senior Aidan Page keeps his eye closely on St. Mary’s senior Nick Whitehead during a game with St. Mary’s on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, at Bishop Seabury Academy.

Five points and some early theatrics by junior Jace Smith weren’t enough to get Seabury, ahead 5-2 less than three minutes into the ballgame, into a rhythm early. Even with five early turnovers after tipoff, St. Mary’s stayed within a basket of the Seahawks, 14-12, heading into the second quarter.

The second quarter featured particularly careless ballhandling from both squads, with both teams amassing 10 more turnovers heading into the break. It also featured plenty of action behind the arc, with Smith and Hoffman trading 3-pointers to keep Seabury in control by 7 late in the second quarter.

A 5-0 run by the Bears threatened Seabury’s lead, but a last-second 3-point basket by Smith kept the Seahawks out front, 26-24, at halftime. At the break, Johnson felt his team’s 10 first-half turnovers played a factor in the up-and-down nature of the first 16 minutes.

“I think we were a little tired and not expecting (St. Mary’s) to pass so well,” Johnson said. “We weren’t rebounding very well in the first half and I felt we improved on that in the second half.”

photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Bishop Seabury sophomore Jace Hoffman is jubilant after scoring a basket during a game with St. Mary’s on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, at Bishop Seabury Academy.

Cutting out some of the mistakes, the Seahawks returned to the floor comfortably behind two big 3s from Smith. St. Mary’s, down 10 with five minutes still to go in the third quarter, inched back within a possession of Seabury on mixed 2s by sophomore Andrew Moats and a 3-point bucket by senior Nick Whitehead.

Hoffman lifted Seabury with seven unanswered points, including a deep 3-ball late in the third quarter, to send the Seahawks up 41-32 with the final eight minutes on deck.

The Seabury bench was tested late when Honarvar, up to eight points heading into the fourth quarter, picked up his third foul and was relieved by freshman Lucien Brokhoff on the block late in the ballgame. Johnson was impressed by his freshman’s tough skin.

“(Brokhoff)’s a big guy,” Johnson said. “That was the goal until the end of the fourth quarter. He did his job in the first game where we’ve had foul trouble.”

photo by: Conner Becker/Journal-World

Bishop Seabury junior Chase Honarvar (33) and senior Aidan Page (10) walk onto the floor during a game with St. Mary’s on Monday, Dec. 18, 2023, at Bishop Seabury Academy.

Three Seahawks – Hoffman, Page and Honarvar – finished the night with three fouls each.

A technical against St. Mary’s Thomas Garland (11 points) doomed any chance of a late comeback by the Bears, as Seabury ran away with a fourth consecutive win heading into the holiday break.

Seabury hosts crosstown rival Veritas Christian on Jan. 5.

BOX SCORE:

Bishop Seabury (58) Jace Hoffman 6-10 1-1 16; Beau Peterson 0-2 0-0 -; Aidan Page 4-7 3-4 11; Jace Smith 7-11 1-3 20; Chase Honarvar 4-6 3-3 11. Totals: 21-37 8-11 58.

St. Mary’s (42) Nick Whitehead 3-8 0-0 8; Louis Archer 0-3 0-0 -; Albert Rutledge 0-0 0-0 -; Josh Knueper 2-4 1-1 6; Thomas Garland 5-14 0-0 11. Totals: 17-40 2-3 42.