Grace Men Post Win Over Spring Arbor
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Dale [email protected]
Swanson, a 6-foot-6 junior, scored a game-high 20 points and pulled down a game-high 18 rebounds, as the 20th-ranked Lancers hosted and defeated the Cougars 65-60 in Mid-Central Conference action at the Orthopaedic Capital Center.[[In-content Ad]]"David Swanson had a stellar performance," said Kessler, whose Lancers won 77-76 at Spring Arbor a month ago. "They were doubling down on Eric, and David came up big for us. Good teams find a way to win. People step up."
Though held to just two points in the first half, Gaff, a 6-10 senior, finished the game with 17 points and seven rebounds.
No other Lancer finished in double figures.
Michael Wienhorst scored nine points for Grace, while David Henry scored seven points, Kyle Plumlee added six points, Jacob Peattie finished with five points and Derek Johnson added a free throw.
The frontline of Swanson and Gaff accounted for 57 percent of the Lancers' points.
"We kept getting the ball inside," said Kessler. "One of the big keys tonight was we got to the free throw line. We kept pounding it inside. Even if we missed, we were able to get them in foul trouble and get to the free throw line."
The Lancers struggled a bit at the free throw line, but converting 21 of 34 opportunities was still a huge advantage over the Cougars, who were 11 of 14 at the charity stripe.
Trailing by two, the Cougars could have tied the game with a shot in the paint with 11 seconds remaining but missed.
Swanson grabbed the rebound and was quickly fouled.
Swanson converted both free throw attempts with 8.6 seconds remaining, giving the Lancers a 64-60 advantage.
Spring Arbor then turned the ball over on the ensuing inbounds play, and when Grace inbounded the ball, Gaff was fouled with 7.6 seconds to play.
Gaff hit the first of two free throws, giving Grace a 65-60 lead, and and the Lancers escaped with another key victory as they try to earn a berth in next month's NAIA Division II National Tournament in Branson, Mo.
"This was a huge win," said Kessler. "If we don't win tonight, Saturday is a moot issue. I'm really proud of them."
The Lancers round out their home schedule Saturday with a Senior Day contest against MCC foe St. Francis. Grace will honor Gaff and Wienhorst Saturday.
Grace will close out the regular season Tuesday at Indiana Wesleyan.
With their five-point win, the Lancers improved to 19-8 overall and 10-4 in the MCC. Spring Arbor fell to 19-9 and 7-7.
With one more win this season, the Lancers will have won 20 games in three straight seasons for the first time in 20 years.
Richard Blair led the Cougars with 14 points, while Kevin Ludwig and Rob Boss chipped in with nine points each.
Grace is just one game behind conference leader and fourth-ranked Bethel, which boasts an overall record of 25-3 and an 11-3 MCC record.
Indiana Wesleyan is second in the MCC at 10-3, followed by Grace (10-4), St. Francis (8-5), Spring Arbor (7-7), Huntington (6-7), Goshen (5-8), Taylor (2-11) and Marian (1-12).
GRACE 65, SPRING ARBOR 60
SA 29 31 - 60
G 32 33 - 65
Spring Arbor - Ludwig 3 2-2 9, Blair 6 2-3 14, Baisden 1 3-4 6, Boss 4 1-1 9, Pickvet 2 1-2 5, Flenorl 0 2-2 2, J. List 2 0-0 6, A. List 1 0-0 2, Sierminski 3 0-0 7. Totals 22 11-14 60.
Grace - Merrell 0 0-0 0, Swanson 8 4-7 20, Wienhorst 4 0-0 2 9, Gaff 3 11-17 17, Henry 3 0-0 7, Peattie 1 3-4 5, Plumlee 2 2-2 6, Johnson 0 1-2 1. Totals 21 21-34 65.
Three-point goals - Spring Arbor 5 (J. List 2, Ludwig, Baisden, Sierminski), Grace 2 (Wienhorst, Henry). Rebounds - Spring Arbor 36 (Sierminski 7), Grace (Swanson 18). Turnovers - Spring Arbor 10, Grace 9. Fouls (fouled out) - Spring Arbor 23 (Boss, Pickvet), Grace 16 (none). Records: Spring Arbor 19-9, 7-7 MCC, Grace 19-8, 10-4 MCC.
Swanson, a 6-foot-6 junior, scored a game-high 20 points and pulled down a game-high 18 rebounds, as the 20th-ranked Lancers hosted and defeated the Cougars 65-60 in Mid-Central Conference action at the Orthopaedic Capital Center.[[In-content Ad]]"David Swanson had a stellar performance," said Kessler, whose Lancers won 77-76 at Spring Arbor a month ago. "They were doubling down on Eric, and David came up big for us. Good teams find a way to win. People step up."
Though held to just two points in the first half, Gaff, a 6-10 senior, finished the game with 17 points and seven rebounds.
No other Lancer finished in double figures.
Michael Wienhorst scored nine points for Grace, while David Henry scored seven points, Kyle Plumlee added six points, Jacob Peattie finished with five points and Derek Johnson added a free throw.
The frontline of Swanson and Gaff accounted for 57 percent of the Lancers' points.
"We kept getting the ball inside," said Kessler. "One of the big keys tonight was we got to the free throw line. We kept pounding it inside. Even if we missed, we were able to get them in foul trouble and get to the free throw line."
The Lancers struggled a bit at the free throw line, but converting 21 of 34 opportunities was still a huge advantage over the Cougars, who were 11 of 14 at the charity stripe.
Trailing by two, the Cougars could have tied the game with a shot in the paint with 11 seconds remaining but missed.
Swanson grabbed the rebound and was quickly fouled.
Swanson converted both free throw attempts with 8.6 seconds remaining, giving the Lancers a 64-60 advantage.
Spring Arbor then turned the ball over on the ensuing inbounds play, and when Grace inbounded the ball, Gaff was fouled with 7.6 seconds to play.
Gaff hit the first of two free throws, giving Grace a 65-60 lead, and and the Lancers escaped with another key victory as they try to earn a berth in next month's NAIA Division II National Tournament in Branson, Mo.
"This was a huge win," said Kessler. "If we don't win tonight, Saturday is a moot issue. I'm really proud of them."
The Lancers round out their home schedule Saturday with a Senior Day contest against MCC foe St. Francis. Grace will honor Gaff and Wienhorst Saturday.
Grace will close out the regular season Tuesday at Indiana Wesleyan.
With their five-point win, the Lancers improved to 19-8 overall and 10-4 in the MCC. Spring Arbor fell to 19-9 and 7-7.
With one more win this season, the Lancers will have won 20 games in three straight seasons for the first time in 20 years.
Richard Blair led the Cougars with 14 points, while Kevin Ludwig and Rob Boss chipped in with nine points each.
Grace is just one game behind conference leader and fourth-ranked Bethel, which boasts an overall record of 25-3 and an 11-3 MCC record.
Indiana Wesleyan is second in the MCC at 10-3, followed by Grace (10-4), St. Francis (8-5), Spring Arbor (7-7), Huntington (6-7), Goshen (5-8), Taylor (2-11) and Marian (1-12).
GRACE 65, SPRING ARBOR 60
SA 29 31 - 60
G 32 33 - 65
Spring Arbor - Ludwig 3 2-2 9, Blair 6 2-3 14, Baisden 1 3-4 6, Boss 4 1-1 9, Pickvet 2 1-2 5, Flenorl 0 2-2 2, J. List 2 0-0 6, A. List 1 0-0 2, Sierminski 3 0-0 7. Totals 22 11-14 60.
Grace - Merrell 0 0-0 0, Swanson 8 4-7 20, Wienhorst 4 0-0 2 9, Gaff 3 11-17 17, Henry 3 0-0 7, Peattie 1 3-4 5, Plumlee 2 2-2 6, Johnson 0 1-2 1. Totals 21 21-34 65.
Three-point goals - Spring Arbor 5 (J. List 2, Ludwig, Baisden, Sierminski), Grace 2 (Wienhorst, Henry). Rebounds - Spring Arbor 36 (Sierminski 7), Grace (Swanson 18). Turnovers - Spring Arbor 10, Grace 9. Fouls (fouled out) - Spring Arbor 23 (Boss, Pickvet), Grace 16 (none). Records: Spring Arbor 19-9, 7-7 MCC, Grace 19-8, 10-4 MCC.
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