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For the first time in 20 years, the Cavaliers of St. Thomas More in Milwaukee have won a conference championship in boys' basketball. 

Thanks to the brilliant all-around play of two of the best sophomores in the state, St. Thomas More turned back Kenosha St. Joseph 75-58 in a battle for first place in the Metro Classic Conference standings. 

Guard Amari McCottry (6-5) and emerging forward Sekou Konneh (6-7) each scored 24 points as St. Thomas More improved to 19-3 overall and 13-2 in league play. St. Joseph, which led 30-29 at intermission, fell to 15-5 overall and 11-3 in conference games.  

Coach John Hoch's squad can wrap up the undisputed Metro Classic crown with a win over eighth-place Racine Lutheran next week. The last time the Cavaliers won a league title came during the 2001-02 campaign when guard Anthony Mlachnik and forward Kyle Knipple led the Pat Ross-coached squad to the Woodland Conference title. 

McCottry, a wizard with the ball and the ability to score off the dribble, from three-point range, above the rim and from the foul line, had seven points in the first half, but he turned it on in the second half. 

He netted 17 second-half points, took a charge, grabbed numerous rebounds and scored five quick points out of the locker room as St. Thomas More used a 10-0 run to turn a 30-29 deficit into a 39-30 lead it would never relinquish. 

Ranked No. 6 in the WisSports.net Player Rankings for the class of 2024, McCottry leads the Metro Classic in scoring at 23.4 ppg and is a good bet to win the league's coveted Player of the Year award. 

"Amari has such an impressive skill set," Hoch said. "He is learning to play with a big motor and uses his athleticism and skill to overwhelm teams."

Meanwhile, McCottry's sidekick turned in the best game of his short varsity career.

Konneh finished with a personal-best 24 points while also dominating the glass, blocking some shots and playing strong defense. 

One of the fastest rising collegiate prospects in the 2024 class, Konneh is averaging 11.9 ppg and 7.4 rpg during his first year of varsity play after sitting out last season while attending Milwaukee Messmer, which did not have a season due to COVID-19. 

Recently, Konneh has taken his game to a new level. After scoring in double figures in seven of the first 13 games of the year, Konneh has reached double figures in seven consecutive games. 

In addition, he has become an absolute beast on the glass. He finished with 13 rebounds against St. Joseph, and had 12 caroms in a recent two-point win over Racine St. Catherine's. 

"Sekou is an athletic freak who competes with a high motor and can be coached hard ... he responds to being pushed," Hoch said. "He is a kid who is still learning the game. He is very raw as a player, but he makes up for it with his freakish athletic ability. Everyone around here is wondering what he will look in two years once he learns the game."

While McCottry and Konneh grab most of the headlines for St. Thomas More, seniors Drew Reindl (6-0) and Isaiah Malison (6-8) along with sophomore Evan Oleson (5-11) also played key roles Tuesday. 

Reindl is a shot-making three-point sniper who has improved his defense 100 percent from a year ago while Malison teams with McCottry and Konneh to make it exceptionally difficult for opponents to score in the lane. 

Oleson runs the show as the team's starting point guard and has developed into an intelligent leader of a talented but young group.

Reindl buried four three-point shots and scored 12 points against St. Joseph while Malison contributed six points and 11 rebounds, and Oleson added six points on a pair of three-point baskets.

"When Drew gets the ball in rhythm, he's going to make it," Hoch said of Reindl, who ranks among the state leaders in made three-point shots with 77. "He sometimes shoots it too quickly in a possession, but we do want him to be aggressive. 

"Defensively, Drew has improved so much. Last year, we played 80 percent zone and we were a poor defensive team. We are in a position now where we can play a lot of man-to-man defense, largely because of Drew's improvement." 

St. Joseph had the contest, played before a huge crowd in the STM gymnasium, at the tempo it wanted during the first half. 

The Lancers ran their patience offense well and got a banked-in three-point shot from sophomore Eric Kenesie (6-0) just before half to take its 30-29 lead at half. 

But foul trouble to star senior Andrew Alia (6-3) hurt St. Joseph in the second half. 

Alia picked up his fourth foul on a charge call taken by Riendl with 10:32 left and he had to sit for the next several minutes. 

St. Thomas More used the time with Alia on the bench to take command of the contest.

"I thought No. 25 (Konneh) just had a huge impact on the game," St. Joseph coach Jose Garcia said. "We talked about keeping him off the glass, but he was just so good tonight. He played a very, very high level. 

"We just couldn't keep them off the offensive glass. They had too many kickouts and second-chance points. And foul trouble really hurt us with Andrew getting his fourth early."

Alia scored 28 points in the Lancers' 84-68 win over St. Thomas More last month, but he was held to 13 on Tuesday. UW-Eau Claire recruit Caiden Lecce (5-11) also scored 13 points while Kenesie and senior Matt Schulte (6-0) added 11 each. 

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