Shooting Woes Doom Lancers
December 6, 2017 at 3:03 p.m.
Shooting Woes Doom Lancers
By Dale [email protected]
In a 92-83 loss to Crossroads League rival Huntington University, the Lancers made just 29 of 72 field goal attempts. Grace struggled mightily to make shots in the basket area, and if not for a 10-of-21 performance from the arc and a dazzling second-half effort by sophomore point guard Braxton Linville the final score would likely have been more lopsided.
“Some of the people who we count on to make shots couldn't make shots,” said Grace College coach Jim Kessler, whose team fell to 6-7 overall and 0-4 in league play. “Holy cow, (Logan) Godfrey was 5 of 20, (Erik) Bowen was 5 of 10. That's not typical ... they've been really steady for us all year.
“We got outscored 52-34 in the paint, that's not typical of how we play. We outscored them by five in the second half, but you've got to be ready to go when the game begins.”
Bowen, a senior, finished the game with 15 points and seven rebounds, while Godfrey, a junior, tallied 12 points and eight boards, but the Lancers' normally steady frontline duo combined to go 10 of 30 from the field.
The Foresters, on the other hand, were dominant in the paint as they improved to 6-6 overall and 2-2 in league play.
Six-foot-8 junior forward Tyler Arens was 11 of 13 from the field and 8 of 8 at the free throw line en route to a game-high 32 points, a performance that also included 14 rebounds.
Senior Trevor Lockwood, a 6-8 center, made 6 of 8 shot attempts and tallied 12 points and eight boards in the win.
“They shot it well, and we didn't defend it very well,” said Kessler. “Arens goes 11 of 13 ... unbelievable.”
Five-foot-7 senior guard Mike Bush finished with 21 points and 10 assists for Huntington, while senior forward Devon Merder chipped in with 14 points and five assists.
Those four players combined to make 30 of 44 shots and score 79 points for the Foresters, who were 35 of 62 from the field overall and 16 of 20 at the free throw line.
Grace trailed 48-34 at halftime but came roaring back behind the hot hand of Linville, the former NorthWood High School standout.
After scoring two points in the first half, Linville made 7 of 9 attempts after the intermission, including 5 of 6 from the arc, and converted both of his free throws.
Linville finished the game 8 of 10 from the field overall en route to a 23-point performance that also included seven assists.
“That’s what good players do, sometimes you gotta step up and do something, step up and make it happen,” Kessler said of Linville. “I thought he did his best to do that for us. We rode the horse hard ... he’s exhausted. If we were just consistent and got it from other people we’d be OK.”
Back-to-back treys by Linville and classmate Jaret Sons cut Huntington’s advantage to 72-69 with 6:57 remaining, but the Foresters responded with a 7-0 spurt of their own and ultimately put the game away.
Grace, losers in five of its last six games, hosts Indiana Tech on Dec. 14.
The Lancers will return to Crossroads League action on Jan. 3 when they host St. Francis.
HUNTINGTON UNIVERSITY 92, GRACE COLLEGE 83
HU 48 44 – 92
GC 34 49 – 83
HU – Devon Merder 5-7 1-2 14, Tyler Arens 11-13 8-8 32, Trevor Lockwood 6-8 0-0 12, Konner Platt 1-9 0-0 3, Mike Bush 8-16 5-6 21, Jaden Sutton 0-1 2-4 2, Mason Coverstone 4-7 0-0 8, Kyle Platt 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 35-62 16-20 92.
Grace – Braxton Linville 8-10 2-2 23, Stephen Halstead 0-4 0-0 0, Haden Deaton 2-8 0-0 6, Logan Godfrey 5-20 2-4 12, Erik Bowen 5-10 5-6 15, Cody Holmes 0-0 0-0 0, Matt Jennings 3-7 2-2 9, Charlie Warner 2-2 1-1 5, Jaret Sons 2-7 3-3 8, Martin Schiele 2-4 0-0 5. Totals 29-72 15-18 83.
Three-pointers – HU 6 (Merder 3, Arens 2, Ko. Platt), Grace 10 (Linville 5, Deaton 2, Jennings, Sons, Schiele); Rebounds – HU 40 (Arens 14), Grace 32 (Godfrey 8); Turnovers – HU?8, Grace 7; Fouls – HU 14, Grace 14; Fouled out – none; Records: HU 6-5 (2-2 CL), Grace 6-7 (0-4 CL)
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In a 92-83 loss to Crossroads League rival Huntington University, the Lancers made just 29 of 72 field goal attempts. Grace struggled mightily to make shots in the basket area, and if not for a 10-of-21 performance from the arc and a dazzling second-half effort by sophomore point guard Braxton Linville the final score would likely have been more lopsided.
“Some of the people who we count on to make shots couldn't make shots,” said Grace College coach Jim Kessler, whose team fell to 6-7 overall and 0-4 in league play. “Holy cow, (Logan) Godfrey was 5 of 20, (Erik) Bowen was 5 of 10. That's not typical ... they've been really steady for us all year.
“We got outscored 52-34 in the paint, that's not typical of how we play. We outscored them by five in the second half, but you've got to be ready to go when the game begins.”
Bowen, a senior, finished the game with 15 points and seven rebounds, while Godfrey, a junior, tallied 12 points and eight boards, but the Lancers' normally steady frontline duo combined to go 10 of 30 from the field.
The Foresters, on the other hand, were dominant in the paint as they improved to 6-6 overall and 2-2 in league play.
Six-foot-8 junior forward Tyler Arens was 11 of 13 from the field and 8 of 8 at the free throw line en route to a game-high 32 points, a performance that also included 14 rebounds.
Senior Trevor Lockwood, a 6-8 center, made 6 of 8 shot attempts and tallied 12 points and eight boards in the win.
“They shot it well, and we didn't defend it very well,” said Kessler. “Arens goes 11 of 13 ... unbelievable.”
Five-foot-7 senior guard Mike Bush finished with 21 points and 10 assists for Huntington, while senior forward Devon Merder chipped in with 14 points and five assists.
Those four players combined to make 30 of 44 shots and score 79 points for the Foresters, who were 35 of 62 from the field overall and 16 of 20 at the free throw line.
Grace trailed 48-34 at halftime but came roaring back behind the hot hand of Linville, the former NorthWood High School standout.
After scoring two points in the first half, Linville made 7 of 9 attempts after the intermission, including 5 of 6 from the arc, and converted both of his free throws.
Linville finished the game 8 of 10 from the field overall en route to a 23-point performance that also included seven assists.
“That’s what good players do, sometimes you gotta step up and do something, step up and make it happen,” Kessler said of Linville. “I thought he did his best to do that for us. We rode the horse hard ... he’s exhausted. If we were just consistent and got it from other people we’d be OK.”
Back-to-back treys by Linville and classmate Jaret Sons cut Huntington’s advantage to 72-69 with 6:57 remaining, but the Foresters responded with a 7-0 spurt of their own and ultimately put the game away.
Grace, losers in five of its last six games, hosts Indiana Tech on Dec. 14.
The Lancers will return to Crossroads League action on Jan. 3 when they host St. Francis.
HUNTINGTON UNIVERSITY 92, GRACE COLLEGE 83
HU 48 44 – 92
GC 34 49 – 83
HU – Devon Merder 5-7 1-2 14, Tyler Arens 11-13 8-8 32, Trevor Lockwood 6-8 0-0 12, Konner Platt 1-9 0-0 3, Mike Bush 8-16 5-6 21, Jaden Sutton 0-1 2-4 2, Mason Coverstone 4-7 0-0 8, Kyle Platt 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 35-62 16-20 92.
Grace – Braxton Linville 8-10 2-2 23, Stephen Halstead 0-4 0-0 0, Haden Deaton 2-8 0-0 6, Logan Godfrey 5-20 2-4 12, Erik Bowen 5-10 5-6 15, Cody Holmes 0-0 0-0 0, Matt Jennings 3-7 2-2 9, Charlie Warner 2-2 1-1 5, Jaret Sons 2-7 3-3 8, Martin Schiele 2-4 0-0 5. Totals 29-72 15-18 83.
Three-pointers – HU 6 (Merder 3, Arens 2, Ko. Platt), Grace 10 (Linville 5, Deaton 2, Jennings, Sons, Schiele); Rebounds – HU 40 (Arens 14), Grace 32 (Godfrey 8); Turnovers – HU?8, Grace 7; Fouls – HU 14, Grace 14; Fouled out – none; Records: HU 6-5 (2-2 CL), Grace 6-7 (0-4 CL)
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