Grace Men Continue Winning Ways
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Dale [email protected]
Junior Dayton Merrell scored eight of the Lancers' first 12 points, helping them to a 20-4 lead and a 100-50 victory in the semifinal round of the Terry Polston Hoops For Hope Tournament at the Orthopaedic Capital Center.[[In-content Ad]]The Lancers, ranked 17th in the NAIA Division II national poll, held a 65-30 advantage at halftime and led by as many as 45 points in the second half.
"I was pleased with the way we got off to a great start," said Grace College head coach Jim Kessler, whose team improved to 3-0 on the season. "Dayton Merrell got us off to a great start, and our depth showed up again."
Seventeen players got in the game for the Lancers, with seven of them scoring in double figures.
Duke Johnson led the Lancers in scoring with 15 points, while Tannan Peters scored 12 points, Greg Miller and Benjamin Euler chipped in with 11 points each, and David Henry, Jared Treadway and Merrell added 10 points each.
"That's the thing about having depth, a different guy can step up each night, and tonight Dayton got us off to a great start," said Kessler. "I thought the kids off the bench came in and did some nice things. Benjamin Euler played well off the bench."
Grace's bench outscored the Rams' bench 50-27, and as a team, the Lancers outrebounded Temple Baptist 72-32.
Johnson and Miller each pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds, while Peters had eight rebounds and Merrell chipped in with seven boards.
The Rams (0-4) were led by Kendall Cunningham, who scored a game-high 17 points, albeit on a 6-of-18 effort from the field.
Robbie Smythe chipped in with 10 points for Temple Baptist, who finished the game just 17 of 80 from the field, including a 5-of-29 performance from three-point range.
The Lancers struggled behind the arc as well, making just 5 of 22 attempts, but were 31 of 55 inside the arc.
"The thing of it is, we've got some really good shooters," said Kessler. "We'll be OK. It'll be there when we need it."
In their first three games, the Lancers have held a dominant size advantage and scored at will in the paint.
Grace will play Mid-Continent (3-2) in today's 3 p.m. championship game, and the Cougars will be the tallest team the Lancers have faced thus far.
Mid-Continet beat Wright State Lake 87-58 and has three players at 6-foot-8 or taller, while Grace - a team that had two 6-11 players in the lineup Friday night - hasn't had to defend a player this season taller than 6-6.
"Mid-Continent matches up with us better," said Kessler. "They've got good size and athleticism. We're going to have to step up and play well."
Wright Lake State and Temple Baptist will play in the consolation game at 1 p.m.
GRACE COLLEGE 100, TEMPLE BAPTIST 50
TB 30 20 - 50
GC 65 35 - 100
Temple Baptist - Ontiwon Primis 1-9 1-6 4, Aric Bowling Watson 1-6 1-2 3, Ayorinde Moreland 1-7 2-2 4, Robbie Smythe 2-12 3-4 10, Paul Griffin 1-4 0-0 2, Joris Signorini 0-1 0-0 0, Milen Kostov 1-3 1-3 4, Jerrell Mitchell 2-12 0-0 4, Rauci Dickerson 0-5 0-1 0, Kendall Cunningham 6-18 3-8 17, Josh Davis 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 17-80 11-26 50.
Grace - David Henry 2-6 4-4 10, Dayton Merrell 5-7 0-0 10, Tannan Peters 5-10 2-4 12, Bruce Grimm Jr. 1-5 0-0 3, Duke Johnson 6-11 3-5 15, Lee Ross 0-0 1-2 1, Michael Humphrey 0-2 0-0 0, Taylor Long 0-0 0-0 0, Jacob Peattie 1-6 1-1 4, Elliot Smith 1-5 0-0 2, Jacob Goodman 0-1 0-0 0, Morgan Michalski 0-1 0-0 0, Benjamin Euler 3-4 5-6 11, Greg Miller 4-8 2-2 11, Jared Treadway 4-5 2-2 10, Dennis Williams 3-5 2-6 8, Nathan VanDuyne 1-1 1-2 3. Totals 36-77 23-34 100.
Three-point goals - Temple Baptist 5 (Cunningham 2, Primus, Smythe, Kostov), Grace 5 (Henry 2, Grimm, Peattie, Miller). Rebounds - Temple Baptist 32 (Griffin 8), Grace 72 (Johnson 13, Miller 13). Turnovers - Temple Baptist 19, Grace 25. Fouls - Temple Baptist 25, Grace 24. Fouled out - Primus, Griffin.
Other semifinal - Mid-Continent 87, Wright State Lake 58
Junior Dayton Merrell scored eight of the Lancers' first 12 points, helping them to a 20-4 lead and a 100-50 victory in the semifinal round of the Terry Polston Hoops For Hope Tournament at the Orthopaedic Capital Center.[[In-content Ad]]The Lancers, ranked 17th in the NAIA Division II national poll, held a 65-30 advantage at halftime and led by as many as 45 points in the second half.
"I was pleased with the way we got off to a great start," said Grace College head coach Jim Kessler, whose team improved to 3-0 on the season. "Dayton Merrell got us off to a great start, and our depth showed up again."
Seventeen players got in the game for the Lancers, with seven of them scoring in double figures.
Duke Johnson led the Lancers in scoring with 15 points, while Tannan Peters scored 12 points, Greg Miller and Benjamin Euler chipped in with 11 points each, and David Henry, Jared Treadway and Merrell added 10 points each.
"That's the thing about having depth, a different guy can step up each night, and tonight Dayton got us off to a great start," said Kessler. "I thought the kids off the bench came in and did some nice things. Benjamin Euler played well off the bench."
Grace's bench outscored the Rams' bench 50-27, and as a team, the Lancers outrebounded Temple Baptist 72-32.
Johnson and Miller each pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds, while Peters had eight rebounds and Merrell chipped in with seven boards.
The Rams (0-4) were led by Kendall Cunningham, who scored a game-high 17 points, albeit on a 6-of-18 effort from the field.
Robbie Smythe chipped in with 10 points for Temple Baptist, who finished the game just 17 of 80 from the field, including a 5-of-29 performance from three-point range.
The Lancers struggled behind the arc as well, making just 5 of 22 attempts, but were 31 of 55 inside the arc.
"The thing of it is, we've got some really good shooters," said Kessler. "We'll be OK. It'll be there when we need it."
In their first three games, the Lancers have held a dominant size advantage and scored at will in the paint.
Grace will play Mid-Continent (3-2) in today's 3 p.m. championship game, and the Cougars will be the tallest team the Lancers have faced thus far.
Mid-Continet beat Wright State Lake 87-58 and has three players at 6-foot-8 or taller, while Grace - a team that had two 6-11 players in the lineup Friday night - hasn't had to defend a player this season taller than 6-6.
"Mid-Continent matches up with us better," said Kessler. "They've got good size and athleticism. We're going to have to step up and play well."
Wright Lake State and Temple Baptist will play in the consolation game at 1 p.m.
GRACE COLLEGE 100, TEMPLE BAPTIST 50
TB 30 20 - 50
GC 65 35 - 100
Temple Baptist - Ontiwon Primis 1-9 1-6 4, Aric Bowling Watson 1-6 1-2 3, Ayorinde Moreland 1-7 2-2 4, Robbie Smythe 2-12 3-4 10, Paul Griffin 1-4 0-0 2, Joris Signorini 0-1 0-0 0, Milen Kostov 1-3 1-3 4, Jerrell Mitchell 2-12 0-0 4, Rauci Dickerson 0-5 0-1 0, Kendall Cunningham 6-18 3-8 17, Josh Davis 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 17-80 11-26 50.
Grace - David Henry 2-6 4-4 10, Dayton Merrell 5-7 0-0 10, Tannan Peters 5-10 2-4 12, Bruce Grimm Jr. 1-5 0-0 3, Duke Johnson 6-11 3-5 15, Lee Ross 0-0 1-2 1, Michael Humphrey 0-2 0-0 0, Taylor Long 0-0 0-0 0, Jacob Peattie 1-6 1-1 4, Elliot Smith 1-5 0-0 2, Jacob Goodman 0-1 0-0 0, Morgan Michalski 0-1 0-0 0, Benjamin Euler 3-4 5-6 11, Greg Miller 4-8 2-2 11, Jared Treadway 4-5 2-2 10, Dennis Williams 3-5 2-6 8, Nathan VanDuyne 1-1 1-2 3. Totals 36-77 23-34 100.
Three-point goals - Temple Baptist 5 (Cunningham 2, Primus, Smythe, Kostov), Grace 5 (Henry 2, Grimm, Peattie, Miller). Rebounds - Temple Baptist 32 (Griffin 8), Grace 72 (Johnson 13, Miller 13). Turnovers - Temple Baptist 19, Grace 25. Fouls - Temple Baptist 25, Grace 24. Fouled out - Primus, Griffin.
Other semifinal - Mid-Continent 87, Wright State Lake 58
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