Fenwick runs winning streak to four

• Reprints

Updated: March 29, 2012 4:07PM

Fenwick is enjoying a very warm February.

Led by junior guard Luke Lattner’s 22 points and four steals, the Friars (9-12) extended their winning streak to four games Tuesday with a 55-43 victory over visiting Richards Academy (12-8).

“We’re playing good basketball right now,” Lattner said. “We’ve been setting up our defensive pressure and playing good defense, which is leading to good offense for us.”

A defensive switch by Fenwick was a big factor Tuesday. After Richards built a 17-13 lead after one quarter, a new look helped limit the Angels to just 10-of-48 shooting from the field the rest of the way (and 25 percent overall).

“We went into a 3-2 zone,” Lattner said. “That was a little change-up defensively and I think they weren’t really used to it. That threw them off a little bit. We were playing man when they had a first-quarter lead, so we had to switch something up. That kind of helped us out.”

Lattner’s offense helped the Friars big time in the first half, as he scored 17 points before the break as Fenwick led 26-24 at the half.

“I was getting to the basket,” Lattner said. “That helped getting some easy layups, and I was hitting some open jumpers from the outside.”

Key second-half offensive heroics were provided by Fenwick’s Jeremy Gruszka, who scored all eight of his points after the break. Gruszka’s three-pointer with 40 seconds left in the third quarter put the Friars up 37-32, after two William Fogarty free throws had snapped a 32-all tie.

Held scoreless in the third quarter, Lattner emerged again with a nice driving layup through traffic for a three-point play that put Fenwick in command up 49-37 with 2:14 to play.

Gregory Kent led Richards Academy with 18 points, nine rebounds and four steals. The Angels forced 10 Fenwick turnovers in the first quarter to aid their early lead, part of 26 Friars’ turnovers on the night.

Fenwick outrebounded Richards a 42-23, with Sam Ainsworth (nine points, 12 rebounds) and Stuart Nezlek (10 rebounds) controlling the lane. Scott Lindsey added eight points for the Friars.

Lattner had a seven-letter answer to how Fenwick can continue its late-season surge.

“Defense,” he said. “Early in the year that’s why we were losing games, and now we’re playing good defense and winning games. If we keep that up, we should be pretty good heading into the playoffs.”