Andrew Crawford notches triple-double as Camden Catholic dominates Egg Harbor Township
ABSECON (N.J.) - Camden Catholic senior Andrew Crawford didn't write his name in the scoring column until there was 2:38 left in the third quarter.
That didn't stop the Irish' point guard from exerting his leadership skills and making an impact.
Crawford tallied 10 assists and eight rebounds before tallying his first point.
The senior decided to tack on 11 more as Camden Catholic, ranked fifth in the latest South Jersey Sports Zone Top 15 boys basketball rankings, dominated No. 7 Egg Harbor Township en route to a 69-57 victory at the Seagull Classic on Saturday afternoon.
Crawford notched a triple-double as he finished with 12 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds. He also shot 100% from the field (2-for-2) and was 8-for-9 from the free throw line.
The senior wasn't even aware of his accomplishment until teammate Luke Kennevan informed him after the victory.
"I just try to go out there and win the games," Crawford said. "I don't really care about stats. Just a good team performance. That's what I care about."
The senior is in his second season as the starting floor general. He's been a member of the program since his freshman year and learned how to lead through the example set by current Temple standout Zach Hicks and Chestnut Hill guard Lucas Dunn.
"I got to play with guys like Lucas Dunn, Zach Hicks my sophomore and freshman year," Crawford said. "I got to see the way they lead the team. Anything for the team that's what I try to do. Just whatever makes the team go, I'm there for."
His fiery persona and aggressive play contribute to his ability to lead, and exemplify the standards of Camden Catholic basketball.
"He's been around Camden Catholic basketball his whole life," Fighting Irish coach Matt Crawford said, who's also Andrew's father. "He's looking forward to this moment and I'm glad to see him have success. He plays hard and he plays unselfishly and that's all we can ask (of him)."
Kennevan tallied a team-high 21 points and collected 11 rebounds. Sophomore Tobe Nwobu added 17 points, including four 3-pointers, and senior Braelen Crump charted nine points, four assists and three rebounds.
Kennevan and Nwobu emerged as key contributors for the Irish a season ago as freshmen. Kennevan averaged 9.5 points per game. Nwobu led the team in scoring and was the SJ Sports Zone Rookie of the Year runner-up.
"When we came in as freshmen we didn't know what to expect," Kennevan said. "We came in and I think we made a big impact right away. We just built that chemistry. We understand each other so much more on the floor."
The Irish led by as much as 27 points with 4:25 left to play and were in control from the opening tip-off. Egg Harbor Township was held to only eight points in the third quarter and finished 3-for-23 from beyond-the-arc.
D.J. Germann exploded for a game-high 32 points for the Eagles. However, each of his nine teammates that charted minutes were held to single-digit scoring figures.
The Irish were able to exploit gaps in the Eagles' zone defense by moving the ball into the high post and finding baseline cutters. Crawford's group also excelled with its acceleration in transition, knocked down jump shots and finished at the rim.
Camden Catholic shot 11-for-17 from the field in the second half.
"We work hard in practice and hold everyone accountable," Matt Crawford said. "When guys make mistakes we correct them so that they don't happen in the games. I was happy with our performance today and definitely our execution."