Senior Nick Shrewsberry scored 23 points and junior Elijah King added 19 as the Saint Joseph boys basketball team defeated Riley Friday in a highly entertaining battle among two top 15 teams in the state of Indiana in our Sports Michiana Game of the Week.

Tyrese Jones led Riley with 22 points but the story of the game was his foul trouble. Riley led by 2 points in the 1st half when Jones picked up his 2nd foul and went to the bench. While he sat, Saint Joe built the lead to 7. Jones returned and picked up his 3rd foul right before the end of the half. He hit a critical 3 in the closing seconds of the 2nd to keep Riley within 7 at the half. Jones picked up his 4th foul in the 3rd quarter and Saint Joe again grew their lead to double digits as he sat. With Jones back in the game, Riley rallied back within 5 but then Saint Joe went on a 10-0 run to put the game away. Jones would foul out in the 4th.

It was the NIC opener for both teams. Riley has won the conference title each of the last two years while Saint Joe is shooting for the elusive conference championship despite win the state championship in class 3A last year. Both teams are playing in a loaded 4A sectional this year.

Shrewsberry was outstanding and was our Reliance Player of the Game. He also delivered the Big C Lumber Big Play of the Game with an alley-oop slam off a beautiful setup feed from King to start the 2nd half.

Both teams are 7-3 overall on the season.