Chris Ings' shooting showcase, putback dunk lift Neumann-Goretti over Archbishop Wood

Neumann-Goretti senior guard Chris Ings flies through the air with the greatest of ease, but the knock most frequently heard about the Rider recruit has been inconsistent shooting from the perimeter.

Friday night against host Archbishop Wood, however, Ings was a marksman of the highest caliber.

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound wing led all scorers with 31 points and finished 9-of-15 overall, 3-of-7 from behind the three-point line and 10-of-11 from the foul line in Nuemann-Goretti’s 65-62 win over host Archbishop Wood.

“It motivates me a lot because people have been doubting my outside shooting capabilities, and that makes teams want to pack it in against me,” he said. “And I just want to make sure every time they force me to shoot, I make them pay.”

For most of the first half, Ings was the Saints' (10-4, 6-2) primary bill collector.

In fact, Ings scored 13 of his team’s 25 points at intermission, which yielded a 25-24 edge. Only he and Ja’Cor Smith had made field goals in the half.

Shooting, Ings said, is something he works on before, during and after practice. The key, he added, was adjusting the timing of his release. In years past, the high-flying guard released the ball on the way down during his jumper instead of the apex of his jump.

The result Friday night was a softer touch, including free throws that lingered on the rim before falling through. In the past, he said, those shots would have caromed off the rim much harder.

“It’s a great feeling because before people doubted my jump shot,” he said. “But now it’s falling in every type of way, and it’s a help to the team, of course.”

Ings still offered his trademark leaping ability. A spectacular tip-dunk afforded the Saints late momentum. Earlier, Ings also rejected a Wood dunk attempt by thwarting an alley-oop.

His freebies with 12.7 seconds left gave the Saints an edge.

He also added three steals and three assists. Hakim Byrd added 9 points and 5 assists for the Saints.

Wood (11-6, 6-4), was led by Rahsool Diggins’s 22 points. Daeshon Shepherd added 13 points and 16 rebounds.

Neumann-Goretti 13 12 14 26 -- 65

Archbishop Wood 10 14 17 21 -- 62

NG: Chris Ings 31, Hakim Byrd 9, Ja’Cor Smith 5, Cameron Young 8, Jordan Hall 3, Baseem Cooper 3, Chris Evans 6.

AW: Rahsool Diggums 22, Julius Phillips 12, Jaylen Stinson 12, Daeshon Shepherd 13, Muneer Newton 3.