The rim protector was in the house, and all was well in Marmion’s world.
Trevon Roots anchors the Cadets’ defense, but heavy is the last adjective that comes to mind when describing the play of the athletic 6-foot-6, 190-pound forward.
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Skywalker is more like it.
That’s especially true when Roots is patrolling the lane and swatting shots like he did Tuesday night in a Catholic League crossover against visiting Leo.
“It’s what he does,” Marmion coach Joe Piekarz said. “He blocks shots and he affects shots very well.”
After Roots blocked four in the first quarter of the Cadets’ 58-28 blowout, the only burning question was whether the senior would be on the floor long enough to secure a triple-double.
Roots came close, finishing with 22 points, nine blocked shots and eight rebounds for Marmion (6-3, 2-2). He had 12 blocked shots earlier this season at Fenwick.
“The other guys know when he rotates, there’s going to be a loose ball somewhere and their job is to get it and go,” Piekarz said. “That’s kind of been our staple the entire year.”
The shellshocked Lions (3-3, 1-3) committed six turnovers, missed all nine shots they took in the second quarter and were limited to one free throw.
It allowed Marmion, which received 15 points, 10 rebounds and five assists from 6-3 senior guard Jabe Haith, to extend a 15-7 lead in the first quarter to 26-8.
“It’s fun to watch,” Habe said of Roots. “Nobody is selfish on this team. We knew Trevon had a great night offensively along with his defense.
“It makes it so much easier when we’re just suffocating teams on the defensive end.”
Roots entered third on the team in scoring with a 13-point average to go with seven rebounds and four blocks. Senior guard Collin Wainscott and Haith average 15.6 and 15.5 points, respectively.
Leo tried denying the ball to Wainscott, an outstanding 3-point shooter, who had eight points.
“Three teams have tried that this year — three teams have lost,” Haith said. “They have to pick their poison. Are they going to let Collin shoot or Trevon and me work in the pick and roll?
“I know it sucks for Collin, but he’s not completely out of the game. He was going after rebounds and setting screens to get us open. It makes it a lot easier having a deadly shooter like that on our team.”
Haith also had two blocked shots.
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“It’s nice to have length and it’s nice to have guys that understand what their strengths are on the defensive end,” Piekarz said. “Our guards want to rebound, and when it is all flowing together like that, good things happen.”
On Roots’ final two shots, he drained 3-pointers.
“He didn’t make any 3-pointers last year,” Piekarz said. “He worked on it a lot this summer.”
Root has made 10 so far this season.
“Improving my ball handling and shooting were my top two goals, along with lifting a lot and getting stronger and more athletic,” Roots said. “In college, people are going to be a lot bigger. I need to get stronger.”
He has several NCAA Division III roster spot offers but is hearing from Division II and NAIA programs as well.
The only thing Roots couldn’t get done was put down a dunk. He missed two in the game.
Last season, the Cadets went 15-14 and finished over .500 for the first time since 2014-15. They’re shooting for the program’s first regional title since 1977.
It could be in reach.
“It may be my favorite part of the game,” Roots said of the dunks. “I was upset on the first one. On the second, I thought I got like a contact foul on it, but you have to play through it.
“I’ll get ’em back next game.”