ShawneeDispatch.com

Behind junior guard Ryan Arel's 22 points and a stifling interior defense, the Shawnee Mission Northwest boys' basketball team earned their highest finish ever at the Saints Classic Basketball Tournament by knocking off the host school, St. Thomas Aquinas, 44-35 in the tourney's third-place game Saturday.

Arel's 15 first half points allowed the Cougars to build a nine-point halftime lead and Northwest's interior protection held the Saints' star player, Iowa State signee Clinton Mann, to only 10 total points. The Saints scored in double figures in only one of the game's four quarters.

"That was a dandy," said Northwest head coach Ben Meseke after his Cougars earned their third place medals. "Our defense keeps us in every single game, the way we play it."

The Saints did make a charge late in the game to cut the Cougar lead back to three, but steals by seniors Alex Carder and Cooper Mach turned the momentum squarely back in Northwest's favor.

Arel Finished the game with 22 points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals. The Cougars' leading scorer had 56 points in 3 games for an 18.7 tourney per game average. Sophomore post Steve Carver had his third double-digit scoring night in a row with 10 points to go with four rebounds and three assists. Mach ended the game with eight points, three assists and two rebounds.

The Cougars improved to 7-4 on the season and will return to action at 7 p.m. Friday Jan. 25 at Olathe South.