Grace Roundup: Godfrey's Game-Winner Lifts Lancers
January 22, 2018 at 5:15 p.m.
By Josh Neuhart-
With an 80-78 victory at Taylor University on Saturday, the Lancers picked up their first Crossroads League victory and snapped an 11-game conference losing streak that included the final two games of the regular season a year ago.
Logan Godfrey was the hero on Saturday. His hook shot with 2.6 seconds remaining lifted the Lancers (8-14, 1-9 CL) over Taylor.
Godfrey’s 21 points and 15 rebounds were both game-high marks. He was 9 of 13 from the floor and also added two blocked shots to his statline. Erik Bowen also had a double-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and three assists.
Grace was outscored by seven points in the first half as the Lancers struggled to find their shooting touch. The Lancers shot just 39 percent from the floor and were 2 of 7 from beyond the arc.
The Trojans (12-10, 3-7 CL) pulled ahead by 11 late in the first half after drilling back-to-back three-pointers, but Grace quickly battled back.
Charlie Warner converted an and-1, and minutes later he hit a trey to cut the Trojans’ advantage down to 40-33 by halftime.
Grace still faced an eight-point hole with 12 minutes remaining, but the Lancers erased that with nine unanswered points. Stephen Halstead hit a three-pointer, Grace made four free throws and Godfrey’s basket with 9:56 to play gave the Lancers the lead.
The teams could hardly be separated over the final 10 minutes; neither side led by more than four points for the rest of the contest.
The score was tied 72-72 with 3:30 on the clock. Taylor hit two free throws to go up, but Haden Deaton responded with a bucket to tie the game. The Trojans scored again, but Braxton Linville answered with a floater to tie the score with 2:18 remaining.
The Trojans took their third lead of the final three minutes with 1:30 left, but Linville answered again with a nifty reverse layup.
Both teams had chances to score on their next possession but came up short. The Trojans then had an untimely turnover to set up Grace for a game winner.
Grace made good on its chance. Bowen caught the ball at the high post and passed down to Godfrey in the paint. Godfrey turned and cleanly swished his hook with seconds remaining. Taylor did not draw iron on its halfcourt heave to secure Grace’s win.
Matt Jennings recorded 14 points and five boards, Deaton added 12 points and five rebounds, and Linville chipped in six points, five assists and three steals for Grace. Halstead hit three treys for nine points, and Warner added eight points.
The Lancers return home for two games this week. Grace hosts Mt. Vernon Nazarene on Tuesday at 7 p.m. and Goshen on Saturday at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center.
Mason Degenkolb led Taylor with 20 points, while Jake Heggeland and Evan Crowe tallied 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Ryan Robinson scored nine points and dished out 10 assists in the loss.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
UPLAND – For the second straight game, a poor first quarter doomed Grace’s women’s basketball team.
The Lady Lancers (10-12, 4-6 Crossroads League) could not recover from a slow start at No. 20 Taylor on Saturday, resulting in a 83-59 loss.
The first quarter saw Grace start well, holding Taylor without a point for the first two minutes. But the Trojans (15-7, 8-2 CL) owned the rest of the period.
Taylor went on a 21-2 run, turning a 4-3 Grace lead into a 24-6 deficit for the Lady Lancers. Lauren Godfrey scored in the last minute of the quarter, but Grace still trailed 26-8.
Grace shot 4 of 15 (27 percent) from the floor, allowing Taylor to make 69 percent of its field goals in the quarter. The Lady Lancers also had six turnovers.
The Lady Lancers were unable to make any progress erasing Taylor’s lead in the second quarter and trailed 47-29 at halftime.
Grace finally made a push midway through the fourth quarter. With Grace facing a 68-48 deficit, the Lady Lancers produced a rapid comeback. Brooke Sugg hit two free throws to start the rally, and Micaela Box and Kyannah Stull hit back-to-back three-pointers.
On the next possession, Pam Miller converted an and-1 to make the score 70-59 with 3:47 remaining. But Grace’s offense went cold down the stretch, and Taylor took advantage with six free throws to pull away even more.
Taylor forced Grace into 21 turnovers and 40 percent shooting. The Trojans also had a 39-25 advantage in rebounds and had 22 assists. Grace was 7 of 24 from beyond the arc (29 percent).
Sugg scored a team-high 15 points to go along with three rebounds and two steals, and Stull drilled 4 of 6 from the arc for 12 points.
Box tallied 12 points and two assists, and Miller added seven points, six assists and three rebounds.
The Lady Lancers will look to rebound on Wednesday with a home contest against Mt. Vernon Nazarene at 7 p.m.
Cassidy Wyse led Taylor with 25 points and eight rebounds, while Kendall Bradbury added 21 points and 11 boards.
Josie Cobb and Abby Buchs finished with 15 and 10 points, respectively.
With an 80-78 victory at Taylor University on Saturday, the Lancers picked up their first Crossroads League victory and snapped an 11-game conference losing streak that included the final two games of the regular season a year ago.
Logan Godfrey was the hero on Saturday. His hook shot with 2.6 seconds remaining lifted the Lancers (8-14, 1-9 CL) over Taylor.
Godfrey’s 21 points and 15 rebounds were both game-high marks. He was 9 of 13 from the floor and also added two blocked shots to his statline. Erik Bowen also had a double-double with 10 points, 11 rebounds and three assists.
Grace was outscored by seven points in the first half as the Lancers struggled to find their shooting touch. The Lancers shot just 39 percent from the floor and were 2 of 7 from beyond the arc.
The Trojans (12-10, 3-7 CL) pulled ahead by 11 late in the first half after drilling back-to-back three-pointers, but Grace quickly battled back.
Charlie Warner converted an and-1, and minutes later he hit a trey to cut the Trojans’ advantage down to 40-33 by halftime.
Grace still faced an eight-point hole with 12 minutes remaining, but the Lancers erased that with nine unanswered points. Stephen Halstead hit a three-pointer, Grace made four free throws and Godfrey’s basket with 9:56 to play gave the Lancers the lead.
The teams could hardly be separated over the final 10 minutes; neither side led by more than four points for the rest of the contest.
The score was tied 72-72 with 3:30 on the clock. Taylor hit two free throws to go up, but Haden Deaton responded with a bucket to tie the game. The Trojans scored again, but Braxton Linville answered with a floater to tie the score with 2:18 remaining.
The Trojans took their third lead of the final three minutes with 1:30 left, but Linville answered again with a nifty reverse layup.
Both teams had chances to score on their next possession but came up short. The Trojans then had an untimely turnover to set up Grace for a game winner.
Grace made good on its chance. Bowen caught the ball at the high post and passed down to Godfrey in the paint. Godfrey turned and cleanly swished his hook with seconds remaining. Taylor did not draw iron on its halfcourt heave to secure Grace’s win.
Matt Jennings recorded 14 points and five boards, Deaton added 12 points and five rebounds, and Linville chipped in six points, five assists and three steals for Grace. Halstead hit three treys for nine points, and Warner added eight points.
The Lancers return home for two games this week. Grace hosts Mt. Vernon Nazarene on Tuesday at 7 p.m. and Goshen on Saturday at the Manahan Orthopaedic Capital Center.
Mason Degenkolb led Taylor with 20 points, while Jake Heggeland and Evan Crowe tallied 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Ryan Robinson scored nine points and dished out 10 assists in the loss.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
UPLAND – For the second straight game, a poor first quarter doomed Grace’s women’s basketball team.
The Lady Lancers (10-12, 4-6 Crossroads League) could not recover from a slow start at No. 20 Taylor on Saturday, resulting in a 83-59 loss.
The first quarter saw Grace start well, holding Taylor without a point for the first two minutes. But the Trojans (15-7, 8-2 CL) owned the rest of the period.
Taylor went on a 21-2 run, turning a 4-3 Grace lead into a 24-6 deficit for the Lady Lancers. Lauren Godfrey scored in the last minute of the quarter, but Grace still trailed 26-8.
Grace shot 4 of 15 (27 percent) from the floor, allowing Taylor to make 69 percent of its field goals in the quarter. The Lady Lancers also had six turnovers.
The Lady Lancers were unable to make any progress erasing Taylor’s lead in the second quarter and trailed 47-29 at halftime.
Grace finally made a push midway through the fourth quarter. With Grace facing a 68-48 deficit, the Lady Lancers produced a rapid comeback. Brooke Sugg hit two free throws to start the rally, and Micaela Box and Kyannah Stull hit back-to-back three-pointers.
On the next possession, Pam Miller converted an and-1 to make the score 70-59 with 3:47 remaining. But Grace’s offense went cold down the stretch, and Taylor took advantage with six free throws to pull away even more.
Taylor forced Grace into 21 turnovers and 40 percent shooting. The Trojans also had a 39-25 advantage in rebounds and had 22 assists. Grace was 7 of 24 from beyond the arc (29 percent).
Sugg scored a team-high 15 points to go along with three rebounds and two steals, and Stull drilled 4 of 6 from the arc for 12 points.
Box tallied 12 points and two assists, and Miller added seven points, six assists and three rebounds.
The Lady Lancers will look to rebound on Wednesday with a home contest against Mt. Vernon Nazarene at 7 p.m.
Cassidy Wyse led Taylor with 25 points and eight rebounds, while Kendall Bradbury added 21 points and 11 boards.
Josie Cobb and Abby Buchs finished with 15 and 10 points, respectively.
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