The Cavaliers, who have a major week looming on the near horizon, took care of the present with a 70-40 Northeast Conference boys' basketball win over Britton-Hecla.
Roncalli has three games in three days next week starting with two-time defending State A champion St. Thomas More. However, the only objective Thursday was finding a way to defeat Britton-Hecla.
"Everyone knows St. Thomas More is sitting on the doorstep, but tonight our goal was Britton," said Roncalli coach Todd Neuendorf. "If we worry about St. Thomas More and lose to Britton, then we've taken a step back."
The Cavaliers came out prepared for the Braves and jumped out to a 14-1 advantage to start the game. However, that quick flurry also produced some major foul trouble.
"We got into some foul trouble with Kendal Deutsch the first two or three minutes of the ball game," Neuendorf said. "It was just bang, bang, bang. It was like when you have your hand on the stove and you can't get it off fast enough."
Deutsch was supposed to be main defender on Britton-Hecla standout Dallas Goedert. That role then went to Zach Andera and Lucas Lorenz.
Goedert still got his points, leading the Braves with 19, but no other Britton-Hecla player managed more than six.
"Again, our team defense was pretty good," Neuendorf said.
The Roncalli offense was pretty good as well, shooting 51 percent from the field while placing four players in double-figure scoring.
Kory Schwan led the victory with 19 points, Dominic King followed with 17, Brayden McNeary added 13 and Zach Andera finished with 12.
"They don't care who it is. That's the other thing," Neuendorf said of his team's unselfish play.
In addition to his defensive effort and dozen points, Andera filled up the stat sheet with 10 rebounds, five steals and three assists.
Roncalli, which has won at least a share of the NEC title in each of the past four seasons, improved to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in league play.
The Cavaliers will take on St. Thomas More at about 8 p.m. Thursday at the Aberdeen Civic Arena, then host Elk Point-Jefferson the next evening before playing Mount Vernon-Plankinton Saturday in the Parkston Classic.
First up, however, will be a little rest, relaxation and reflection.
"It's important that the kids have some time off," Neuendorf said. "They've been going hard. We want them to have a great Christmas and have fun. It's a bigger picture than basketball."
ABERDEEN RONCALLI: Kory Schwan 6 2-3 19, Kendal Deutsch 0 1-2 1, Zach Andera 4 4-4 12, Brayden McNeary 5 2-2 13, Dominic King 8 1-4 17, Greg Zens 1 0-0 3, Lucas Lorenz 1 0-3 2, Nolan Schlosser 1 0-0 2, Landon Hoellein 0 1-2 1. Totals 26-51 11-20 70.
BRITTON-HECLA: Tanner Roehr 2 0-1 4, Landon Olson 3 0-0 6, Jadrian Guy 1 0-3 2, Preston Holland 1 1-4 4, Dallas Goedert 6 5-7 19, Caleb Wenz 1 3-5 5. Totals 14-63 9-20 40.
Aberdeen Roncalli (4-0) 16 34 48 70
Britton-Hecla (2-2) 6 23 29 40
3-point field goals - Schwan 5, McNeary, Zens, Holland, Goedert 2. Fouled out - King. Total fouls - Aberdeen Roncalli 19; Britton-Hecla 16. Rebounds - Aberdeen Roncalli 42 (Andera 10); Britton-Hecla 27 (Guy 12). Turnovers - Aberdeen Roncalli 15; Britton-Hecla 19. Assists - Aberdeen Roncalli 18; Britton-Hecla 4. Blocked Shots - Aberdeen Roncalli 3; Britton-Hecla 1. Steals - Aberdeen Roncalli 10 (Andera 5); Britton-Hecla 7. JV Game - Aberdeen Roncalli 50-14. Freshman Game - Aberdeen Roncalli 27-16.