By Andy Hutchison

WESTPORT — Staples boys basketball team defeated St. Joseph of Trumbull, 57-38, Friday, holding second place in FCIAC’s standings as the regular slate winds down.

The Wreckers jumped out to an 18-6 lead after one quarter of play and held a 27-19 halftime advantage. Staples led 47-35 going to the fourth and limited the Cadets to just three points in the final stanza.

Wreckers teammates again stepped up in the absence of injured standout Sam Clachko.

Mason Tobias had a double-double, scoring s18 points and grabbing a dozen rebounds to go along with a steal.

Dhilan Lowman scored 17, had five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a pair of blocks. 

Adam Udell had eight points, six rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Austin Heyer scored seven and registered two rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals. 

Matty Corrigan and Jack Jacob rounded out the scoring with four and two points, respectively. Corrigan added two rebounds an assist and a block and Jacob had an assist.

Staples will host Westhill of Stamford at 6 p.m. Monday and will visit Ridgefield at 7 p.m. Wednesday at 7. The FCIAC tournament begins at neutral site Fairfield Warde next Saturday.

(Game schedules are subject to change; click for the latest CIAC updates.)

Andy Hutchison has been covering school sports — including Staples athletics — as well as news and feature stories in Fairfield County, since the 1990s.