COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Dublin Jerome proved on Tuesday night why they are the sixth seed in Division I, using a strong second half to down DeSales 65-45. There was a total team effort by the Celtics as they got contributions from almost everyone.

DeSales opened the game on 6-2 behind four points from Atticus Schuler and forced Jerome to call an early timeout. Luke Kuhlman scored five straight points for the Celtics and they never lost the lead again. Jerome started the game with a full-court press and trap which started to cause problems for DeSales. Both teams played some good defense as the first quarter ended with Jerome leading 9-8. 

The pressure from Jerome really started to impact DeSales in the second quarter. The Celtics forced a ton of turnovers which led to easy run-outs in transition, and a 24-17 halftime lead.

The second half was all Jerome as they dominated every facet of the game. They opened the second half on an 8-0 run and never looked back from there. The pressure really wore down DeSales as Jerome continued to feast on turnovers. The three-ball also started falling more for the Celtics in the second half. 

Ten Celtics scored which really showed Jerome’s depth. They got really good minutes from guys like Jack Pinney, Daviyon McDonald, Jayden Sun, and CC Ezirim. Pinney and McDonald both played great defense and helped kept the Stallions at bay. They played key roles in limiting Schuler’s production in the second half. DeSales had trouble getting production from some starters as well as their bench, as Jerome outscored the Stallions 18-6 in bench points. The Celtics play really great team basketball and can get a bucket from anyone who checks into the game. At the end of the day, Jerome wore down DeSales and never allowed them to crawl back into the game. 

Luke Kuhlman and Ryan Nutter combined for 25 points to lead Jerome while their teammate Sasha Stavroff pitched in 10. Atticus Schuler fought for DeSales with 12 points and Michael Walker had 10 for the Stallions.

Luke Kuhlman (SG / Dublin Jerome / 2023): Kuhlman scored the first seven points for Jerome and had great command of the offense all game. At 6-foot-5, he can go up at the rim with bigger defenders which he did on two occasions. He also nailed three triples for his 13 points, with two of them coming from well beyond the three-point arc. He has a great feel of when to get his shot and when to find his teammates. Kuhlman is a really talented junior who hopes to lead Jerome to a deep tournament run.

Atticus Schuler (F / DeSales / 2022): Schuler was the focus for the defense as he came into this game averaging around 20 points per game. After he scored seven points in the first quarter, Schuler was met with double teams to limit his inside scoring. Foul trouble also limited his second half production but he scored with great efficiency. Schuler rarely takes bad shots and easily could have improved on his 12 points outing. It is very hard to replace a guy like Des Watson but Schuler seems to be the leader for DeSales as they head into the final part of the season.

Ryan Nutter (F / Dublin Jerome / 2023): Nutter is a really complete two-way player that excels defensively. He put a ton of pressure on the DeSales guards and forced tons of turnovers. He has a great sense of when to gamble for steals and when to sit down to defend. Nutter is a non-stop competitor who came up with a few loose balls and offensive rebounds that may not show up in the box score. He does his damage inside and has a nice touch around the rim. His excellent body control and ability to finish with both hands lead to his success.