Notre Dame, Ind. – The first semester has been a roller coaster ride for Coach Bertoia and the AQ Saints Men's Basketball team. Between injuries, a demanding opening schedule, and the WHAC conference—which never offers any gimmes—it has been a grind to find rhythm. One benefit of those early-season obstacles has been the opportunity to build quality depth, as nearly everyone has been called upon for meaningful minutes. Non-conference games tucked into the heart of league play often provide a valuable opportunity to introduce new concepts and test them at game speed without the pressure of conference seeding. Saturday's match-up with Holy Cross offered exactly that opportunity.

Holy Cross 78, Aquinas 63

Aquinas opened the afternoon competing with energy and confidence, trading baskets early and showing flashes of offensive flow against a physical Holy Cross group. Devon Boyd helped steady the Saints early, knocking down perimeter shots and attacking gaps to keep AQ within striking distance. Jordan Bledsoe provided a spark as well, hitting timely threes and facilitating the offense to prevent Holy Cross from creating early separation. Inside, Caden Pokorzynski battled on the glass and finished through contact, helping Aquinas stay competitive in the paint and at the free-throw line.

The Saints briefly seized momentum midway through the first half, stringing together defensive stops and capitalizing in transition to pull even after trailing by double digits. Cameron Moore stretched the floor with outside shooting, while Tjay Jones and Kaleb Mitchelson contributed key rebounds and defensive effort to extend possessions. Despite the push, Holy Cross closed the half on a run, forcing a few turnovers and converting at a high rate to take a seven-point edge into the break.

Out of halftime, Aquinas continued to fight, opening the second half with renewed pace and execution. Boyd and Bledsoe again led the charge, combining scoring and ball movement to keep the Saints within reach. Pokorzynski consistently drew fouls inside, converting at the line and battling through contact on both ends. Samuel Medendorp provided solid minutes off the bench, contributing on the boards and making the most of his opportunities.

As the half wore on, Holy Cross' efficiency proved difficult to overcome. Aquinas generated quality looks but struggled to sustain scoring runs, while the hosts capitalized on second-chance opportunities and trips to the free-throw line. Nick Henry and Jacob Howard logged valuable minutes late, continuing the theme of growth and depth development. The Saints competed until the final horn, using the contest as a measuring stick and a learning opportunity as the holiday break approaches.

Inside the Numbers
     • Aquinas shot 44.4% from three-point range, knocking down eight triples
     • Devon Boyd led all Saints with 17 points
     • Jordan Bledsoe added 14 points and six rebounds
     • Caden Pokorzynski chipped in 17 points and six rebounds
     • Aquinas forced 10 turnovers while committing just 10 of its own

Coach's Comments
After the game, Head Coach Ryan Bertoia talked about where his team is at going into the holiday break:

"We're still very much in a growth phase, and games like this are important for us. We're asking guys to step into new roles, to play through mistakes, and to learn what winning basketball looks like at full speed. The effort is there, the buy-in is there, and now it's about taking what we've learned this semester, getting healthy, and coming back ready to make a push."

Up Next
The Saints will return home for one more exhibition game before Christmas. Tip-off is set for Sunday at 2:00 PM as Aquinas hosts the Lakers of GVSU in the first game of a basketball doubleheader. The defending national champions from GVSU will also play an exhibition game with the AQ women's squad, twenty minutes after the men's game concludes. While both match-ups are exhibitions for Aquinas, they count as regular-season contests for the Lakers. Both games will be streamed without commentary on the AQ Athletic Network. Be sure to visit AQSaints.com for live stats, streaming links, and full post-game coverage.