In what is quickly turning into one of the area's finest matchups, the DeSales boys basketball team hosted Worthington Christian Friday, Jan. 18, in a game that would help decide the Central Catholic League championship.

A Warriors win and they'd likely go on to claim an outright title. But the Stallions lived to play another day with an 84-75 victory.

The loss was the first for Worthington Christian (14-1, 5-1 CCL), giving DeSales a bit of revenge after dropping the teams' first meeting 59-58 at WCHS Dec. 7.

DeSales (11-3, 5-1) led 24-17 after the first quarter and totaled 45 points at halftime in a game that seemed to be played in fast forward through the first half.

Things slowed down a bit in the third quarter.

"I don't know if it could get much more frantic than it was in the first half," Warriors coach Kevin Weakley said. "They went to a zone a little bit, but I thought it was difficult for us, because they did a good job of taking away our dribble penetration.

"We didn't get to the bonus in the second half, and we're making more free throws this year than our opponents are attempting."

The Stallions jumped ahead 60-46 to take their biggest lead with 2:52 to play in the third quarter, but it still wasn't over.

Worthington Christian reeled off a 16-4 run that included two three-pointers from Zack Joseph and one from Josh Sinclair to cut it to 64-62, but that was as close as it would get.

DeSales took a timeout and went on to score 12 of the next 14 points. Senior center Sean Hobbs came up big late, scoring 10 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter.

"This is probably my best game of the whole season," he said. "That loss against them at their place really fueled me."

"He only missed one shot all night," DeSales coach Blair Albright said of Hobbs. "He was the defining factor in the game. Both teams were able to get up and down and make perimeter shots.

"The difference was what we were able to do inside."

Rebounding was big for the Stallions, too.

Ike Ariguzo led the way with 15 rebounds, Hobbs pulled down nine and guard Nick Goff grabbed a career-high 10 boards to go with his 10 points.

"That's got to be my first time to get (10) rebounds," Goff said. "You can't give them second chances and I thought we did a good job at that. We start three guards and you just have to crash the glass.

"In a key stretch with about two minutes to go, we got three straight offensive rebounds."

The Stallions weren't done getting key contributions as Nick Kellogg led the way with 26 points.

Sophomore Adam Griffin knocked down six threes en route to a career-high 22 points -- his previous high was eight -- which came in especially handy since usual starter Zak Gaborcik missed his third straight game with an ankle injury.

"When two teams play each other a lot, it's not always the main guys who play the biggest role in the game," Weakley said. "It's the role players. Adam Griffin had a big game tonight."

With Griffin stepping up and Gaborcik expected to return, things are falling into place for this Stallions team that returned just two starters from last year's final four team.

"We've always known (Griffin) is capable of being that type of offensive player," Albright said. "As he's worked football out of his system and gained more confidence at the varsity level, he's found his seams and known when to attack or when to take his shot.

"To be without Zak Gaborcik, and Kenny Stafford (who stepped away from the team to concentrate on prepping for a college football career) and to still be able to deliver, has really shown the character of this group. I just think if we haven't already turned the corner yet, we're peaking around it."

Worthington Christian's Brian Hecker led all scorers with 29 points, including two late threes in the final comeback effort.

Hecker was joined in double figures by Zack Joseph (21) and Tyler Joseph (10).

While the game set up a shared title between the two teams, both have four league games to play, including one that DeSales was to play at Ready Jan. 22, and one the Warriors were to play Jan. 22 at Watterson.

The Stallions host Hartley Jan. 25 (8 p.m.) and go to Lebanon Jan. 26 (7:30 p.m.).

The Warriors host St. Charles Jan. 29 (8 p.m.).