Unbeaten CRB survives scare against Exira-EHK to prevail 45-42
By Drew Herron - AJ Sports Editor / Jan. 8, 2014
COON RAPIDS – Unbeaten Coon Rapids-Bayard played with fire for the better part of 32 minutes Friday night. But in the end, the Crusaders would leave the gym with their perfect record intact after surviving a scare against Exira-EHK to prevail 45-42.
It was the first game back after the New Year for both sides, and despite taking the loss, Spartans head coach Doug Newton praised his team’s effort.
“It was a game of runs, and I am proud of the way our guys battled,” coach Newton said. “This is a tough place to play, and (CRB) is a team that never quits. You can’t fault the effort or the heart tonight, I was very pleased with that.”
Offense was slow to warm on both sides, and never really got the upper hand on either side’s defensive schemes that seemed to rotate with the quarter change.
CRB jumped out 15-6 at one point early before the Spartans rallied in the second quarter, and took a 23-17 lead into the halftime break.
It showed a splash of what the team is capable of as it continues to carve out its identity in the new Rolling Valley Conference.
“The second quarter was a big momentum builder for us, we showed a lot of heart there,” coach Newton says. “For us to scratch and claw and get back in it…that’s something new for us.”
Tate Simpson and Brady Hansen each hit 3-pointers in the final minute of the second quarter to grab a solid lead and force a change of momentum heading into halftime.
However, EEHK came out cold for stretches in the third, and CRB made hay while the sun shone. The Crusaders improved their rebounding on the defensive end, and it aided their transition game as the home squad seemed intent on running the court. CRB went on a 11-2 run in the third, and EEHK played catch-up the rest of the way.
Three times in the fourth quarter, the Spartans were within one possession or one point of the lead, however it never tipped back in EEHK’s direction.
With 22 seconds remaining, Brady Hansen knocked down a 3-pointer from in front of the CRB student section to draw within one point (43-42). After CRB’s Zach Dentlinger hit two-of-two from the line after quickly being fouled, Exira-EHK called a timeout with 14.6 left to play, and trailed by three points (45-42).
Coach Newton drew it up, and Exira-EHK had two shots at the basket from beyond the arc, but neither would hit, and CRB would move to 8-0 after staving off 2-6 Exira-EHK.
Perhaps the Spartans caught them by surprise, or maybe EEHK is progressing with marked improvement. Whatever the reason, coach Newton is expecting bigger and better things for his team in 2014.
“I can’t think that, based on our statistics pre-Christmas, that teams are expecting a whole lot out of us,” coach Newton says. “But we are gaining, and playing well for longer stretches of time, and I’ve felt that way for a couple weeks now.”
No comments:
Post a Comment