Lancers Rally, But Come Up Short Again
February 7, 2018 at 4:59 p.m.
Lancers Rally, But Come Up Short Again
By Dale [email protected]
In a Crossroads League men's basketball matchup at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center Tuesday night, Grace overcame an 11-point second-half deficit to take the lead and was later tied 71-71 with the Marian University Knights.
From there, Marian went on a 10-2 run before Grace's Charlie Warner hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to account for the final 81-76 score.
The five-point loss was the eighth time this season the young Lancers, who fell to 10-17 overall and 3-12 in the league standings, have lost by six points or fewer, or in overtime.
“We have to learn how to win. We've learned how to get better, we've learned how to play hard, we've executed,” said Kessler, whose team lost 79-66 at Marian on Jan. 9.
“We made some adjustments that you have to make in any game, and I thought we put ourselves in position, I mean we took the lead, we just couldn't finish it. There were several decisions that didn't work out well, and to win you have to make the right decision, you have to make the play, you have to make the shot, you have to make the defensive play. We gave ourselves a chance, but we have to get over the hump.”
The loss to Marian came on the heels of a 77-75 loss to No. 13 Bethel College, an outcome that was decided in the final 10 seconds.
After losing their first nine conference games this season, the Lancers – who started two freshmen and a sophomore Tuesday night – strung together three consecutive wins over Taylor University, Mt. Vernon Nazarene University and Goshen College.
But just as Grace was on a roll, it lost close games to Huntington University, Bethel and Marian.
In Tuesday’s loss, sophomore Jaret Sons gave the Lancers a 70-69 lead with a three-pointer from the top of the key with 2:08 remaining.
After it was tied 71-71, Marian scored the game’s next eight points, using a 10-2 run to put the game away before Warner’s trey at the buzzer cut the final margin to five points.
Marian was 8 of 8 at the free throw line in the final 30 seconds to secure the win, which improved the Knights to 18-9 overall and 8-7 in the Crossroads League standings.
“It’s not something we planned,” Kessler said of Marian’s crucial late-game run. “(Marian’s Wes) Stowers is a really good point guard, he’s an All-American. Their big guy (Reggie Kissoonlal) is really good, too. When they got him isolated inside there was really nothing we could do.”
Stowers scored 21 points to go along with four rebounds and three assists.
Kissoonlal, an NCAA Division I transfer from Northwestern State University, was the big difference in the two teams – literally.
The 6-foot-11 Kissoonlal made his presence felt, and he finished the game 10 fo 14 from the field en route to 24 points to go along with six boards and four blocked shots.
Christian Stewart and Mark Albers scored 17 and 13 points, respectively, in the win.
Logan Godfrey led the Lancers with 23 points and seven rebounds, while Warner scored 16 points – all in the second half – and Sons scored 12 of his 14 points after the intermission.
Matt Jennings scored all 10 of his points in the first half for the Lancers, who trailed 35-28 at the break.
“We found a way to get there, we just couldn’t get over the hump,” Kessler said of his team’s rally after trailing by 11 in the second half.
“Marian had their run, and we fouled a couple times there at the end. We got back in it, but we’ve got to learn how to finish it.”
The Lancers have three games remaining in the regular season.
Grace travels to No. 22 Spring Arbor Saturday, plays at No. 3 St. Francis on Feb. 14, and hosts Taylor on Feb. 17.
MARIAN UNIVERSITY 81, GRACE COLLEGE 76
MU 35 46 – 81
GC 28 48 – 76
Marian – Reggie Kissoonlal 10-14 3-5 24, Wes Stowers 7-18 5-6 21, Sterling Brown 1-7 0-0 2, Mark Albers 5-8 0-0 13, Christian Stewart 5-7 6-6 17, KC Earls 0-0 0-0 0, Sam Guymon 1-3 2-2 4, David Hill 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 29-59 16-19 81.
Grace – Braxton Linville 2-4 0-0 4, Matt Jennings 4-11 1-2 10, Haden Deaton 0-4 0-0 0, Logan Godfrey 11-18 1-2 23, Erik Bowens 3-6 0-2 6, Stephen Halstead 1-2 0-0 3, Tim Swanson 0-0 0-0 0, David Holden 0-0 0-0 0, Charlie Warner 6-8 2-2 16, Jaret Sons 5-10 2-2 14. Totals 32-63 6-10 76.
Three-pointers – Marian 7 (Albers 3, Stowers 2, Kissoonlal, Stewart), Grace 6 (Sons 2, Warner 2, Jennings, Halstead); Rebounds – Marian 30 (Kissoonlal 6), Grace 32 (Godfrey 7); Turnovers – Marian 12, Grace 13; Fouls – Marian 15, Grace 19; Fouled out – Albers, Jennings; Records: Marian 18-9 (8-7 CL), Grace 10-17 (3-12 CL)
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In a Crossroads League men's basketball matchup at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center Tuesday night, Grace overcame an 11-point second-half deficit to take the lead and was later tied 71-71 with the Marian University Knights.
From there, Marian went on a 10-2 run before Grace's Charlie Warner hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to account for the final 81-76 score.
The five-point loss was the eighth time this season the young Lancers, who fell to 10-17 overall and 3-12 in the league standings, have lost by six points or fewer, or in overtime.
“We have to learn how to win. We've learned how to get better, we've learned how to play hard, we've executed,” said Kessler, whose team lost 79-66 at Marian on Jan. 9.
“We made some adjustments that you have to make in any game, and I thought we put ourselves in position, I mean we took the lead, we just couldn't finish it. There were several decisions that didn't work out well, and to win you have to make the right decision, you have to make the play, you have to make the shot, you have to make the defensive play. We gave ourselves a chance, but we have to get over the hump.”
The loss to Marian came on the heels of a 77-75 loss to No. 13 Bethel College, an outcome that was decided in the final 10 seconds.
After losing their first nine conference games this season, the Lancers – who started two freshmen and a sophomore Tuesday night – strung together three consecutive wins over Taylor University, Mt. Vernon Nazarene University and Goshen College.
But just as Grace was on a roll, it lost close games to Huntington University, Bethel and Marian.
In Tuesday’s loss, sophomore Jaret Sons gave the Lancers a 70-69 lead with a three-pointer from the top of the key with 2:08 remaining.
After it was tied 71-71, Marian scored the game’s next eight points, using a 10-2 run to put the game away before Warner’s trey at the buzzer cut the final margin to five points.
Marian was 8 of 8 at the free throw line in the final 30 seconds to secure the win, which improved the Knights to 18-9 overall and 8-7 in the Crossroads League standings.
“It’s not something we planned,” Kessler said of Marian’s crucial late-game run. “(Marian’s Wes) Stowers is a really good point guard, he’s an All-American. Their big guy (Reggie Kissoonlal) is really good, too. When they got him isolated inside there was really nothing we could do.”
Stowers scored 21 points to go along with four rebounds and three assists.
Kissoonlal, an NCAA Division I transfer from Northwestern State University, was the big difference in the two teams – literally.
The 6-foot-11 Kissoonlal made his presence felt, and he finished the game 10 fo 14 from the field en route to 24 points to go along with six boards and four blocked shots.
Christian Stewart and Mark Albers scored 17 and 13 points, respectively, in the win.
Logan Godfrey led the Lancers with 23 points and seven rebounds, while Warner scored 16 points – all in the second half – and Sons scored 12 of his 14 points after the intermission.
Matt Jennings scored all 10 of his points in the first half for the Lancers, who trailed 35-28 at the break.
“We found a way to get there, we just couldn’t get over the hump,” Kessler said of his team’s rally after trailing by 11 in the second half.
“Marian had their run, and we fouled a couple times there at the end. We got back in it, but we’ve got to learn how to finish it.”
The Lancers have three games remaining in the regular season.
Grace travels to No. 22 Spring Arbor Saturday, plays at No. 3 St. Francis on Feb. 14, and hosts Taylor on Feb. 17.
MARIAN UNIVERSITY 81, GRACE COLLEGE 76
MU 35 46 – 81
GC 28 48 – 76
Marian – Reggie Kissoonlal 10-14 3-5 24, Wes Stowers 7-18 5-6 21, Sterling Brown 1-7 0-0 2, Mark Albers 5-8 0-0 13, Christian Stewart 5-7 6-6 17, KC Earls 0-0 0-0 0, Sam Guymon 1-3 2-2 4, David Hill 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 29-59 16-19 81.
Grace – Braxton Linville 2-4 0-0 4, Matt Jennings 4-11 1-2 10, Haden Deaton 0-4 0-0 0, Logan Godfrey 11-18 1-2 23, Erik Bowens 3-6 0-2 6, Stephen Halstead 1-2 0-0 3, Tim Swanson 0-0 0-0 0, David Holden 0-0 0-0 0, Charlie Warner 6-8 2-2 16, Jaret Sons 5-10 2-2 14. Totals 32-63 6-10 76.
Three-pointers – Marian 7 (Albers 3, Stowers 2, Kissoonlal, Stewart), Grace 6 (Sons 2, Warner 2, Jennings, Halstead); Rebounds – Marian 30 (Kissoonlal 6), Grace 32 (Godfrey 7); Turnovers – Marian 12, Grace 13; Fouls – Marian 15, Grace 19; Fouled out – Albers, Jennings; Records: Marian 18-9 (8-7 CL), Grace 10-17 (3-12 CL)
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