Grace Men Back Atop Conference
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Dale [email protected]
The Lancers, who had lost five straight to the Wildcats, improved to 19-6 overall and 8-3 in the MCC, while Indiana Wesleyan fell to 17-7 and 6-5.[[In-content Ad]]Grace and Bethel are again tied for first atop the MCC standings, followed by Huntington (8-4), Taylor (7-5), Indiana Wesleyan (6-5), Spring Arbor (6-5), Goshen (5-6), St. Francis (3-9) and Marian (0-11).
"This was a very important game for us," said Grace College coach Jim Kessler, whose team lost 78-67 at Indiana Wesleyan on Jan. 5. "This has huge implications for the conference. A loss would have had huge implications too. This was a good win for us. I though the deciding factor was our ability to defend. To hold them to 33 percent overall and 26 percent from three-point range is a stellar effort."
Indiana Wesleyan finished the game just 21 of 63 from the field and 6 of 23 from three-point range. The Lancers, playing in the friendly confines of the Orthopaedic Capital Center, were a more efficient 22 of 39 (56 percent) overall and 6 of 13 (46 percent) from three-point range.
While defense was key in posting the win, Gaff's play in the post certainly shouldn't be overlooked.
The 6-foot-10 junior center finished the game 10 of 12 from the field and posted game highs with 22 points and 14 rebounds. He played 38 of the game's 40 minutes.
"Fourteen rebounds and 22 points, that's a good night's work," Kessler said of Gaff. "He's really turned into a fine player on both ends.
Gaff also blocked five shots, made two assists and had one steal.
Kessler said he didn't think Indiana Wesleyan was as deep as his team in the post, and his plan was to take it right at 6-foot-8 Wildcat sophomore Zach Coverstone.
His plan worked.
Coverstone got himself in foul trouble and he experienced the shooting woes the rest of his teammates did, finishing the game with just eight points on 4-of-11 shooting.
"We wanted to go right at Zach Coverstone with Eric Gaff and Kyle Johnson," said Kessler. "If we did that, I didn't think they'd be able to play the way they wanted to play. I didn't think they were as deep in the post."
Johnson, a 6-8 frontliner for Grace, finished the game with 10 points and five rebounds.
Senior guard Marcus Moore had 13 points and six rebounds for the Lancers, while junior Austin Kaiser chipped in with 10 points.
Senior Scott Moore and junior Michael Wienhorst scored two points each for Grace.
"This was a good win for us," said Kessler. "Now the next one is just as important. This was a great team effort."
Will Hubertz led Indiana Wesleyan with 11 points, while Antonio Murrell and Jon Moon scored 10 points each for the Wildcats.
Indiana Wesleyan led 22-13 in the first half, but a Marcus Moore three-pointer sparked the Lancers, and Grace finished the first half on a 12-3 run to knot the score at halftime.
A three-pointer from Kaiser gave Grace a 50-39 lead with 6:56 to play in the game, but the Wildcats came right down the floor and hit a three-pointer of their own.
Indiana Wesleyan cut the Lancer lead to three, 57-54, with 1:33 remaining in the game.
Kaiser had a chance to make it a five-point game but missed both free throws with 59 seconds to play.
With just under four seconds on the game clock, Spencer Harris hit a pair of free throws for the Wildcats, bringing them within one at 57-56.
Johnson then scored the game's final two points, converting a pair of free throws with just under three seconds remaining.
The Lancers are in action again Saturday when they host conference foe Spring Arbor at 3 p.m.
GRACE 59, INDIANA WESLEYAN 56
IW 25 31 - 56
G 25 34 - 59
Wesleyan - Hubertz 2 5-5 11, Coverstone 4 0-0 8, Murrell 4 1-1 10, Moon 4 0-0 10, Harris 3 1-3 7, Hetrick 3 1-2 8, Williams 1 0-1 2. Totals 21 8-12 56.
Grace - Johnson 2 5-8 10, Gaff 10 2-2 22, S. Moore 1 0-1 2, Kaiser 4 0-2 10, M. Moore 5 0-2 13, Henry 0 0-0 0, Swanson 0 0-0 0, Wienhorst 0 2-2 2. Totals 22 9-17 59.
3-point goals - Wesleyan 6 (Hubertz 2, Moon 2, Murrell 1, Hetrick 1), Grace 6 (M. Moore 3, Kaiser 2, Johnson). Rebounds - Wesleyan 33 (Hubertz 8, Coverstone 8), Grace 33 (Gaff 14). Turnovers - Wesleyan 11, Grace 17. Fouls - Wesleyan 21, Grace 17. Fouled out - none.
The Lancers, who had lost five straight to the Wildcats, improved to 19-6 overall and 8-3 in the MCC, while Indiana Wesleyan fell to 17-7 and 6-5.[[In-content Ad]]Grace and Bethel are again tied for first atop the MCC standings, followed by Huntington (8-4), Taylor (7-5), Indiana Wesleyan (6-5), Spring Arbor (6-5), Goshen (5-6), St. Francis (3-9) and Marian (0-11).
"This was a very important game for us," said Grace College coach Jim Kessler, whose team lost 78-67 at Indiana Wesleyan on Jan. 5. "This has huge implications for the conference. A loss would have had huge implications too. This was a good win for us. I though the deciding factor was our ability to defend. To hold them to 33 percent overall and 26 percent from three-point range is a stellar effort."
Indiana Wesleyan finished the game just 21 of 63 from the field and 6 of 23 from three-point range. The Lancers, playing in the friendly confines of the Orthopaedic Capital Center, were a more efficient 22 of 39 (56 percent) overall and 6 of 13 (46 percent) from three-point range.
While defense was key in posting the win, Gaff's play in the post certainly shouldn't be overlooked.
The 6-foot-10 junior center finished the game 10 of 12 from the field and posted game highs with 22 points and 14 rebounds. He played 38 of the game's 40 minutes.
"Fourteen rebounds and 22 points, that's a good night's work," Kessler said of Gaff. "He's really turned into a fine player on both ends.
Gaff also blocked five shots, made two assists and had one steal.
Kessler said he didn't think Indiana Wesleyan was as deep as his team in the post, and his plan was to take it right at 6-foot-8 Wildcat sophomore Zach Coverstone.
His plan worked.
Coverstone got himself in foul trouble and he experienced the shooting woes the rest of his teammates did, finishing the game with just eight points on 4-of-11 shooting.
"We wanted to go right at Zach Coverstone with Eric Gaff and Kyle Johnson," said Kessler. "If we did that, I didn't think they'd be able to play the way they wanted to play. I didn't think they were as deep in the post."
Johnson, a 6-8 frontliner for Grace, finished the game with 10 points and five rebounds.
Senior guard Marcus Moore had 13 points and six rebounds for the Lancers, while junior Austin Kaiser chipped in with 10 points.
Senior Scott Moore and junior Michael Wienhorst scored two points each for Grace.
"This was a good win for us," said Kessler. "Now the next one is just as important. This was a great team effort."
Will Hubertz led Indiana Wesleyan with 11 points, while Antonio Murrell and Jon Moon scored 10 points each for the Wildcats.
Indiana Wesleyan led 22-13 in the first half, but a Marcus Moore three-pointer sparked the Lancers, and Grace finished the first half on a 12-3 run to knot the score at halftime.
A three-pointer from Kaiser gave Grace a 50-39 lead with 6:56 to play in the game, but the Wildcats came right down the floor and hit a three-pointer of their own.
Indiana Wesleyan cut the Lancer lead to three, 57-54, with 1:33 remaining in the game.
Kaiser had a chance to make it a five-point game but missed both free throws with 59 seconds to play.
With just under four seconds on the game clock, Spencer Harris hit a pair of free throws for the Wildcats, bringing them within one at 57-56.
Johnson then scored the game's final two points, converting a pair of free throws with just under three seconds remaining.
The Lancers are in action again Saturday when they host conference foe Spring Arbor at 3 p.m.
GRACE 59, INDIANA WESLEYAN 56
IW 25 31 - 56
G 25 34 - 59
Wesleyan - Hubertz 2 5-5 11, Coverstone 4 0-0 8, Murrell 4 1-1 10, Moon 4 0-0 10, Harris 3 1-3 7, Hetrick 3 1-2 8, Williams 1 0-1 2. Totals 21 8-12 56.
Grace - Johnson 2 5-8 10, Gaff 10 2-2 22, S. Moore 1 0-1 2, Kaiser 4 0-2 10, M. Moore 5 0-2 13, Henry 0 0-0 0, Swanson 0 0-0 0, Wienhorst 0 2-2 2. Totals 22 9-17 59.
3-point goals - Wesleyan 6 (Hubertz 2, Moon 2, Murrell 1, Hetrick 1), Grace 6 (M. Moore 3, Kaiser 2, Johnson). Rebounds - Wesleyan 33 (Hubertz 8, Coverstone 8), Grace 33 (Gaff 14). Turnovers - Wesleyan 11, Grace 17. Fouls - Wesleyan 21, Grace 17. Fouled out - none.
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