The Emmanuel Christian Academy Rams edged past the St. Robert and William Warriors, 65-54, to take the eighth grade title in the 2017 Morrissey Classic on Sunday evening at Court 1 on the campus of Gilmour Academy. Emmanuel Christian guard Christopher Livingston scored 30 points and crashed the boards for 12 rebounds, while guard Cordell Livingston notched 14 points in the tightly contested affair. St. Robert and William relied heavily on the contributions of Clayton Cunningham, who showed versatility and nearly posted a triple-double with 15 points, nine assists and eight rebounds.

A three-point barrage from the Rams proved to be the starting point of the contest, as Cordell and Christopher Livingston drilled a pair of three-pointers within a minute of the opening tipoff. The brothers accounted for the entirety of the team’s first-quarter production, while St. Robert and William received four points from Zach Tizzano in the post, limiting its deficit to two points after the opening period. The Warriors were led by Noah Clark and Cunningham, as they pieced together a 7-2 rally to commence the second quarter and reclaim a 20-15 advantage. A rapid exchange of baskets ensued, spearheaded by the Emmanuel Christian’s Cordell Livingston, who brought a packed crowd to their feet with a three-point play in the paint. The halftime score was 29-27 in favor of the Rams. Christopher Livingston put more of an emphasis on attacking the interior of the court in the second half, scoring his team’s first 10 points in the third quarter for a 39-29 lead. The margin expanded further, as Emmanuel Christian rattled off 12 of the next 19 points to take a 51-36 lead and force St. Robert and William to call a timeout with one minute left in the third quarter. The late-game surge carried over to the fourth quarter, with the Rams having the ability to milk the clock and limit the opposition’s scoring, prompting a joyous celebration after the game.