Grace Advances To Tournament Final
Lancers, rival Bethel to square off for automatic berth in NAIA Nationals
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Dale [email protected]
Hosting the seventh-seeded Spring Arbor University Cougars in the semifinal round of the Crossroads League Tournament, the No. 6 seed Grace College Lancers opened the game with a 14-0 run but had to hang on for a 68-67 win.
“We found a way to win,” said Grace College coach Jim Kessler, who is now just three wins away from 700 for his career. “We had to survive. That’s how this league is. Spring Arbor battled to the end. They didn’t give up.”
With the win, the Lancers improved to 18-13 and advanced to Tueday’s tournament final. With an automatic berth in the NAIA Division II National Tournament on the line, Grace will play at fourth-seeded Bethel College at 7 p.m.
Bethel (26-7), ranked 18th in the country, advanced to the tournament final with a 102-95 win in overtime at top-seeded Indiana Wesleyan (26-7).
Wesleyan, ranked fourth nationally, earned an automatic bid to the national tournament in Branson, Mo., by winning the Crossroads League’s regular season title with a 15-3 record.
“That’s how tough our league is, that’s how much parity there is in our league...the No. 4 and No. 6 seeds are playing in the final,” said Kessler.
While Spring Arbor finished its season with a 12-20 record, the Lancers survived and are looking for their second Crossroads League Tournament title in three years.
After falling behind 14-0 early, the Cougars never tied the game or took the lead, but they did force Grace to win the game at the free throw line.
The Lancers were only 20 of 34 at the charity stripe Saturday, including an 11-of-22 effort in the second half, but sophomore Brandon Vanderhegghen and senior Greg Miller combined to go 4 of 4 in the final 12 seconds.
Miller’s free throws gave Grace a 68-64 lead, and then Spring Arbor’s Rob Hogans hit a desperation three-pointer with one second remaining.
The Lancers inbounded the ball with a deep pass and ran the clock out to secure the win.
“That’s the way our season has gone,” said Kessler. “We had to find a way to win. We had to find a way to survive.”
Miller led the Lancers with 19 points and nine rebounds, while junior Niko Read scored 14 points, senior Jared Treadway finished with a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Vanderheggen chipped in with 12 points.
“We had a lot of guys contribute,” said Kessler. “Treadway played a great game. He was big on the boards.”
In his final college game, Hogans led Spring Arbor with 28 points, while Xavier Prather and Greg Hamilton scored 15 and 13 points, respectively.
GRACE COLLEGE 68, SPRING ARBOR 67
SA 24 43 – 67
GC 30 38 – 68
Spring Arbor – Jiles Neely 1-4 2-2 4, Tyler Hughes 1-3 0-0 2, Caleb Hogans 0-7 0-0 0, Rob Hogans 10-19 5-7 28, Xavier Prather 4-10 7-12 15, Collin Hewitt 1-4 0-0 3, Greg Hamilton 4-8 4-5 13, Peter Barry 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 22-57 18-26 67.
Grace – Greg Miller 5-9 9-13 19, Jared Treadway 5-9 2-3 12, Logan Irwin 0-8 3-10 3, Niko Read 5-9 0-0 14, Caleb Featherston 3-7 1-2 8, Drew Perrin 0-0 0-0 0, Brandon Vanderhegghen 3-8 5-6 12, Kyle Fillman 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-51 20-34 68.
Three-pointers – Spring Arbor 5 (R. Hogans 3, Hewitt, Hamilton), Grace 6 (Read 4, Featherston, Vanderhegghen); Rebounds – Spring Arbor 30 (R. Hogans 7), Grace 39 (Treadway 12); Turnovers – Spring Arbor 10, Grace 11; Fouls – Spring Arbor 24, Grace 19; Fouled out – none; Records: Spring Arbor 12-20, Grace 18-13[[In-content Ad]]
Hosting the seventh-seeded Spring Arbor University Cougars in the semifinal round of the Crossroads League Tournament, the No. 6 seed Grace College Lancers opened the game with a 14-0 run but had to hang on for a 68-67 win.
“We found a way to win,” said Grace College coach Jim Kessler, who is now just three wins away from 700 for his career. “We had to survive. That’s how this league is. Spring Arbor battled to the end. They didn’t give up.”
With the win, the Lancers improved to 18-13 and advanced to Tueday’s tournament final. With an automatic berth in the NAIA Division II National Tournament on the line, Grace will play at fourth-seeded Bethel College at 7 p.m.
Bethel (26-7), ranked 18th in the country, advanced to the tournament final with a 102-95 win in overtime at top-seeded Indiana Wesleyan (26-7).
Wesleyan, ranked fourth nationally, earned an automatic bid to the national tournament in Branson, Mo., by winning the Crossroads League’s regular season title with a 15-3 record.
“That’s how tough our league is, that’s how much parity there is in our league...the No. 4 and No. 6 seeds are playing in the final,” said Kessler.
While Spring Arbor finished its season with a 12-20 record, the Lancers survived and are looking for their second Crossroads League Tournament title in three years.
After falling behind 14-0 early, the Cougars never tied the game or took the lead, but they did force Grace to win the game at the free throw line.
The Lancers were only 20 of 34 at the charity stripe Saturday, including an 11-of-22 effort in the second half, but sophomore Brandon Vanderhegghen and senior Greg Miller combined to go 4 of 4 in the final 12 seconds.
Miller’s free throws gave Grace a 68-64 lead, and then Spring Arbor’s Rob Hogans hit a desperation three-pointer with one second remaining.
The Lancers inbounded the ball with a deep pass and ran the clock out to secure the win.
“That’s the way our season has gone,” said Kessler. “We had to find a way to win. We had to find a way to survive.”
Miller led the Lancers with 19 points and nine rebounds, while junior Niko Read scored 14 points, senior Jared Treadway finished with a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds, and Vanderheggen chipped in with 12 points.
“We had a lot of guys contribute,” said Kessler. “Treadway played a great game. He was big on the boards.”
In his final college game, Hogans led Spring Arbor with 28 points, while Xavier Prather and Greg Hamilton scored 15 and 13 points, respectively.
GRACE COLLEGE 68, SPRING ARBOR 67
SA 24 43 – 67
GC 30 38 – 68
Spring Arbor – Jiles Neely 1-4 2-2 4, Tyler Hughes 1-3 0-0 2, Caleb Hogans 0-7 0-0 0, Rob Hogans 10-19 5-7 28, Xavier Prather 4-10 7-12 15, Collin Hewitt 1-4 0-0 3, Greg Hamilton 4-8 4-5 13, Peter Barry 1-2 0-0 2. Totals 22-57 18-26 67.
Grace – Greg Miller 5-9 9-13 19, Jared Treadway 5-9 2-3 12, Logan Irwin 0-8 3-10 3, Niko Read 5-9 0-0 14, Caleb Featherston 3-7 1-2 8, Drew Perrin 0-0 0-0 0, Brandon Vanderhegghen 3-8 5-6 12, Kyle Fillman 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 21-51 20-34 68.
Three-pointers – Spring Arbor 5 (R. Hogans 3, Hewitt, Hamilton), Grace 6 (Read 4, Featherston, Vanderhegghen); Rebounds – Spring Arbor 30 (R. Hogans 7), Grace 39 (Treadway 12); Turnovers – Spring Arbor 10, Grace 11; Fouls – Spring Arbor 24, Grace 19; Fouled out – none; Records: Spring Arbor 12-20, Grace 18-13[[In-content Ad]]
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