ANC Hands St. Benedicts their First Loss
 

Undefeated St. Benedict's, ranked No. 1 in the nation by USA Today, was stung early by a hot-shooting guard, then slowed by his team's zone defense and deliberate pace as it fell to Academy of New Church, 53-50, in a regular-season game last night in Newark.

Junior guard Tamir Jackson scored 22 points for St. Benedict's (13-1), which won the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla., by beating two teams ranked nationally, won the Bojangles Shootout in North Carolina and knocked off then-top-ranked Oak Hill Academy of Virginia. But it could not figure out a way to suppress guard Shannon Givens (17 points) and his unranked team Pennsylvania.

Samardo Samuels scored 17 points for St. Benedict's, which faces a Sunday showdown with Rice of Manhattan, ranked No. 12 nationally, at the Nike Super Six at Madison Square Garden.

St. Benedict's coach Hurley did not feel his team was looking ahead to that game.

"We're always prepared and we scout everyone," Hurley said. "The kids knew that this team was good. They hit shots early and got their confidence going and we never recovered."