Rob Belcore hoped to blow out St. Rita so he could rest his ailing leg Friday.
He had strained his left quad last week against Lincoln Park and missed practice for three days. Two days before the Catholic League North matchup, his left leg was so swollen it was an inch larger in circumference than his right.
Despite Belcore’s wishes, St. Rita (11-7, 3-2) wouldn’t comply. The Ramblers needed him the whole way through as he and Matt Sullivan put together an unforgettable performance, combining for 57 points and 20 rebounds to lead Loyola to a 79-74 win.
‘‘I don’t like to lose,’’ Belcore said. ‘‘It’s my senior year. I’m a senior.’’
Belcore hobbled throughout the fourth quarter, fighting cramps in his leg. Despite the pain, Belcore stepped up when Loyola (15-6, 3-2) trailed 70-62 with 2:55 remaining.
As a 1-2 punch, Belcore and Sullivan scored 11 of Loyola’s next 17 points. Belcore also had two rebounds, a steal and blocked a late shot to secure the win in the final minutes.
‘‘That’s why Belcore is our captain, our leader,’’ said Sullivan, who finished with a career-high 31 points. ‘‘We don’t expect him to have a bad game even when he’s injured.’’
‘‘He’s the most underrated junior in the state,’’ said Belcore, who finished with 26 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks. ‘‘He deserves a lot more than he gets. I’ve played with everyone in the country. He’s for real.’’
Rashawn Russell scored 15 of his team-high 23 points in the second quarter, while Terry Johnson added 17 points for St. Rita.
Chance Carter scored six points in the fourth quarter for Loyola.
In a roller coaster-type game, Loyola jumped out to 22-10 lead in the first quarter behind 13 points by Sullivan. The Mustangs fought back with a 26-point second quarter led by Russell’s 15 points.
The Ramblers opened the third quarter on a 7-2 run to go ahead 48-41. St. Rita closed out the quarter by going on a 15-3 run and went up 56-51.
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