The matchup between Lakewood Catholic Academy and St. Dominic kicked off with both teams showcasing tough, competitive defense. Every rebound was a battle, and neither side backed down from the physical play. When scoring opportunities appeared, both teams capitalized, keeping the game tight. A big three from Lakewood gave them a 15–14 lead with seven minutes left in the first half.

St. Dominic answered shortly after with a tough shot to reclaim the lead at 16–15 with 3:45 remaining. From there, the game turned into a defensive slugfest, with both teams stringing together stops and forcing empty possessions. St. Dominic finally broke through with a couple of hard-earned buckets, heading into halftime with an 18–15 advantage.

Lakewood came out of the break energized, scoring strong inside and knocking down a three to jump ahead 22–18. Their defensive pressure forced St. Dominic into a timeout with 18:43 left in the second half. After the huddle, both teams found their offensive rhythm, trading baskets in an exciting stretch that tied the game at 25–25 with 15 minutes remaining.

The pace then shifted back to a defensive grind, with each side giving up only a few points. Lakewood called a timeout while holding a narrow 29–27 lead with 11:48 to play. The timeout proved effective, as Lakewood emerged locked in defensively and hit a pair of huge threes to stretch the lead to 38–29 with 7:30 left.

St. Dominic wasn’t done yet — they rallied with strong shot-making and cut the lead to 38–33, prompting another timeout with 4:24 to go. Despite their late surge and relentless defensive pressure, St. Dominic couldn’t quite close the gap. Lakewood held strong in the final minutes, securing a hard-fought 40–35 victory.

Both teams battled from start to finish, but Lakewood’s timely shooting and tough second-half defense made the difference.