A very strange third place

But we'll take it.

The last two years we have been the Washington Generals of the Illinois state homeschool tournament. Our average margin of defeat for the four games we have played over that time was forty-three. So this year, with the team we have, we were hoping to lower that number. Significantly. And they did, but it was a little hollow, as most of the state teams stayed away this year, our two games included one against a 14U (freshman) team. (Not a middle school team - someday I will rant about age classifications and the way they are (mis)used in the home school arena.) We will still lay claim to third, because the other teams were invited but chose not to come.

Our first game was against the host team, Crossroads Crusaders. The Crusaders could be the reason why the other teams didn't attend. They are a perennial powerhouse, and though they were down a little from last season, they are still a formidable team. Their star player, David Hellstrom, will be playing Divsion I basketball in college next year, with Army being rumored as his destination. The difference between Crossroads and other teams we have faced this year with great players is that Hellstrom has many very good players around him. During warmups, we were wondering if he was playing. When the warmups came off, we then realized he was there, but had cut off his longish hair which he had when Coach and I went out to scout them a couple weeks ago. Maybe getting ready for West Point? Crossroads was missing their big center, but the rest of the team was there. Last year when they played us, they didn't have at least four of their starters even dressed.

Our guys were extremely tight at the outset. It didn't look very different from the last two years as the Crusaders scored the first thirteen points of the game. Our guys, when they weren't getting the ball stolen, were giving up offensive rebounds. HSRC had a total of five shots and one rebound. Yes, we had more turnovers (eight) than point and rebounds combined. Lucas and Seth scored consecutive baskets to slow Crossroads a bit, but they hit a two and three to close the quarter and led 18-4 at the end of one. After Crossroads opened the second with a basket, Nate converted a three-point-play, and Seth hit a long three after another basket by Crossroads, and it was a twelve-point game. Any hope that this was going to get us back into it was quickly extinguished. Crossroads scored ten of the last eleven points in the half, Lucas scoring our lone point, and the lead was 32-11 at the half.

The Crusaders again opend the scoring to begin the quarter. Lucas and Josh then hit shots to pull back to within nineteen. Again, any flicker of possibly getting back in the game was doused, with Crossroads going on a 12-1 run to open up a thirty-point lead. Once more the guys rallied, this time going a run of their own, with Josh hitting a two and a three and Seth closing out the scoring in the third with a three of his own to pull the Patriots to within 46-24. For the third time, we were deflated, this time by ten consecutive points by the hosts. Josh and Kyle scored, but Crossroads soon stretched the lead to thirty-five. Josh, Lucas and Seth contributed to a 10-4 run to close the game, about in the middle of which the Crusaders pulled all their starters. Seth had twelve points to lead the team and Josh contributed eleven.

 The final score of 67-38 looked bad, but the Patriots were able to take some positives away from the game. They overcame their initial nervousness, especially on defense, and played decently after the first quarter. They held Crossroad's big star to about his scoring average, and most importantly, gave the boys a chance to his their second big goal of the year - holding opponents to an average of under forty-five points per game. To do that, they would have to hold their opponents in the third place game to forty-three points or fewer.

That opponent turned out to be Crossroads' 14U team, who only participated because only three teams had their varsity teams there. They had lost to the Illinois Impact, the third varsity team there, in the other semifinal, by about twenty points. They were a big team, but didn't seem to have a great ball-handler, and didn't shoot very well. They liked to play at a frenetic pace, which caused some concern about the defensive goal mentioned above. In the first quarter the Crusaders did seem to set the pace, but it seemed to suit us pretty well, especially Lucas. He scored eleven in the quarter on drives and jumpers, hitting one three and four twos. The shooting woes we observed that Crossroads had in the semifinal continued into this game. They only shot 25% while we were shooting 55.6%, which enabled HSRC to enjoy a 23-11 lead after one. The game slowed down a little in the second, and Crossroads started shooting better. Kyle and Josh got their scoring going, but the Patriots couldn't get the lead above twelve until just before the end of the half, when Kyle and Josh scored baskets to give HSRC a 33-19 lead, and the lead was still fourteen, 35-21, at the half.

Crossroads opened up hot in the second half, scoring six of the first seven points of the half to get to within nine. That was the end of their hope. The Patriots cranked up the pressure on defense, resulting in a lot of steals and breakaway layups, mostly by Seth and Kyle. The resultant 15-2 run opened up a 51-29 point lead. Crossroads scored five, but the Patriots closed out the quarter by scoring the last six points, including a nice put back by Ben. Either Peter or Ben was in the whole quarter because Josh had picked up his fourth foul last in the first half. Now the score was 57-34. The Patriots couldn't give up more than nine points in the fourth, otherwise Coach was going to look like Clay Matthews soon. Midway through the quarter the score was 65-36. It looked good, but Crossroads scored five quick points. They were really going to have dial up the defense. Which they did. Josh scored seven in a row, but then he fouled out. Crossroads hit both free throws. About three minutes remained in the game, and the guys couldn't give up another point. We scored two baskets, then fouled Crossroads in the act of shooting. Uh-oh. But wait! They missed both foul shots! All the guys needed to do now was hold the ball. However, an unnamed player couldn't help himself and put up a shot Thankfully Crossroads gave the ball back. Now only a minute and a half to go. This time the team figured out the keep-away game, and were still holding the ball as time ran out.. 78-43 HSRC. Yes, we finished in third. But more importantly: Total points given up for the year: 1,529. Points equalling 45 points per game: 1,530. Goals met. Hairlessness to follow.

Kyle was the leading scorer with 25, but Lucas was right behind with 21. Josh had eleven rebounts. Kyle also led the team with six steals, with both Lucas and Seth adding five each. Seth and Kyle led with four assists apiece.

I will follow up with a post or posts about the all-star game (March 16) and the banquet (March 17).