Playing in the Crossroads League championship game for the fourth straight year, the Grace men's basketball team welcomed Huntington to the Manahan Orthopaedic Center for a rubber match after they split the regular season series. The game was a doozy, going back and forth for nearly all 40 minutes, but the Lancers were able to finish strong and take home the title with an 80-72 win.
The scoring got started early on in this one, and once it began, it came in bunches. Each team had no problems lighting up the scoreboard early on, with the lead changing hands multiple times in the first few minutes. The Foresters began the game absolutely on fire from three, hitting their first three attempts from distance to take an early four-point lead at the first media timeout.
The Lancers came out of the break with a run of their own, and a three pointer by Gage Sefton put the home side back on top. The defense of Grace also looked much improved following the break, as Huntington went over three minutes without a point following its initial surge.
It continued to be a game of runs, as the visitors were able to get back on track and tie things up a 18, though it wouldn’t last long. A deep three as the shot clock was winding down for the Lancers put the regular season champs back on top as the midway point of the first half was reached.
Following the second stoppage of the game, the pace remained the same, but the scoring slowed down significantly. Both teams were playing excellent defense and nothing was coming easy, leading to an extended stretch of it seeming like a lid was on the basket.
Eventually, it would be the Foresters that got it going once more, as the visitors retook the lead after three straight possessions with a bucket. It didn’t last long, as NorthWood product Ian Raasch added on to what was a great first half for the sophomore with a bucket inside to put Grace back on top. At the under five minute mark, the home side led by a single point.
The lead continued to alternate as the first half approached its end. The defense remained stout, often forcing shots to go up towards the end of the shot clock, but the offense was just a bit better, as tough shots were being made to put points on the board. Around the two-minute mark, Huntington used another spurt to take a five-point lead, resulting in a timeout call by Grace.
The Foresters kept the pressure on in the final seconds of the opening half, remaining in front and stifling the Lancer offense in the process. When the buzzer sounded to send both teams to their respective locker rooms, Huntington led 40-35. Grace’s two Ians, Raasch and Scott, each had eight points to lead the way for the home side.
A thunderous alley-oop for the visitors marked the beginning of second-half action. Down by seven after the dunk, the Lancers began chipping away at the lead, getting within one a few minutes later. About five minutes into the second, a transition layup by Raasch tied things up.
It didn’t take long for the Foresters to jump back in front, as each time it appeared Grace might be seizing some momentum, the visitors were quick to take it right back. At the first media timeout, Huntington led by three.

    Grace senior Ian Scott gets around his Huntington defender to score during the first half of Monday night's game at Grace...Nieter
There were multiple times in which it looked as if the Foresters were about to go on a run that would blow the game wide open, but each time that was the case, the Lancers quickly mustered up an answer to stay in striking distance. Midway through the second half, it was a one-point game once again.
Freshman Hunter Walston was the one to finally put the Lancers back on top with nine and a half minutes left in the game, putting the already raucous crowd into a frenzy. As if that wasn’t enough, a massive and-one was the final play before the second media timeout, extending the lead before both teams got a breather.
It would be a few minutes before the home side scored again following the break, allowing Huntington to tie things up with seven minutes to go. Less than a minute later, the visitors used a three-point play to retake the lead.
Just as quickly, senior Carter Stoltzfus was able to take control of the game on the other end, scoring six straight points to help the Lancers go back up by three. It wasn’t long before the game reached the final media timeout with Grace holding onto a two-point lead about to go to the free throw line to add to it.
Sefton made both following the huddle to make it a four-point game with four minutes left. With three minutes left, another pair at the stripe made it a six-point edge for the Lancers. A massive three on the other end cut that in half in a hurry. This time, it was Grace coming up with the answers, as the home side scored five straight points after the triple to take a seven-point lead, its largest of the night.
With 100 seconds left in the game, the Foresters needed to get something going, and fast. The visitors used another three pointer to get within five with a minute left, but were struggling to stop the white-hot Grace offense. That trend continued, as former Whitko standout Brett Sickafose found himself wide open underneath the basket with 45 seconds left. He’d hit his easy look to make it a seven-point lead once more.
A crucial pair of missed free throws by Stoltzfus kept the door open for Huntington, still down seven with 30 seconds left. After cutting it down to six, the Foresters were able to get the ball back, but a massive steal by the Lancers followed by Stolzfus redeeming himself at the line put this one out of reach.
Grace is back in action next Friday, as the team plays host to the opening two rounds of the NAIA tournament. The team’s seed and opponent is yet to be announced.