Lancer boys knock off St. James in first basketball game of season

SM East’s Vance Wentz scored an easy two points on a breakaway layup in the fourth quarter.

After a slow start Thursday, the SM East boys basketball team put together a second half run that earned them a victory over St. James Academy in their first game of the season.

St. James kept within striking distance through the first two quarters, trailing 18-20 heading into half time. But solid shooting in the third quarter gave the Lancers a cushion that they were able to sit on through the end of the game, eventually prevailing 49-42.

Senior big man Zach Schneider led the Lancers with 14 points. Montana State-bound Vance Wentz, just the fourth Lancer to sign with a Division I school in 22 years, scored 10 points.

The victory earned the Lancers a spot on the winners’ side of the ARC Madness bracket, where they will face Bishop Kelly at 8:30 p.m. Friday.

6’7″ senior Zach Schneider led the Lancers with 14 points.

SM East students wore t-shirts commemorating Tyler Rathbun.