WINONA LAKE, Ind. - Grace’s men’s basketball team opened up the new year with a dominant performance on Saturday.
The No. 16 Lancers (12-3, 4-1 Crossroads League) defeated Goshen 111-67, controlling nearly every statistical category to record the team’s fifth-straight win.
Grace finished the game shooting 61 percent as a team and 39 percent from the 3-point line. Goshen was held to 40 percent shooting (27 percent on 3s).
Grace amassed 30 assists on 46 made field goals, all while committing just seven turnovers.
The Lancers had five players finish with double-digit scoring, and 12 players registered a point overall. Grace also had 47 rebounds, more than doubling up Goshen.
Brett Sickafoose helped the Lancers gain an early advantage. Sickafoose opened the game’s scoring with a 3-pointer. Before nine minutes had expired, Sickafoose had four triples, and Grace had a 10-point lead.
The Lancers passed the ball well, resulting in a pair of early dunks by Ian Scott.
Goshen did its best to keep within range, but Grace’s offense was too potent. The Lancers led 48-33 as the game reached halftime.
Grace shot 54 percent from the floor led by Sickafoose’s 14 points.
The Maple Leafs (5-10, 0-5 CL) were outscored 30-8 in the paint and 14-2 in points off turnovers.
The Lancers continued to sizzle offensively to begin the second half. Grace made seven of its first eight field goals after halftime.
Gage Sefton canned back-to-back 3-pointers as Grace led by 21. At the midway mark of the half, Grace’s lead blossomed to 29.
As the half continued, Grace’s transition game worked to perfection. The Lancers had 17 fastbreak points after halftime, turning defensive stops into quick layups.
Grace racked up 18 unanswered points midway into the half, doing most of its damage with bench scoring.
The Lancers eclipsed the century mark with 5:25 remaining on a layup from Cole Hayworth, and the Lancers strolled to the 44-point win.
Sickafoose scored a team-high 23 points on 5 of 8 shooting from the 3-point line. Sefton had 20 points, shooting 7 of 10 overall and 3 of 3 from downtown.
Scott tallied 13 points, 7 boards and 5 assists, Ian Raasch had 13 points with seven points, and Hunter Walston had 10 points, 7 rebounds, 3 steals and 2 assists.
Brycen Graber handed out nine assists with a 3-pointer, and Carter Stoltzfus had 6 assists, 4 points and 4 boards.
Justin DeGraaf finished with seven points and five rebounds, Isaac Schultz collected four points with six rebounds, Hayworth scored five, Marcus Davidson had seven points in seven minutes, and Cannen Houser notched two points with an assist.
The Lancers will battle a pair of ranked opponents next week. On Wednesday, Grace will travel to No. 17 Huntington (7:30 p.m.). On Saturday, Grace will host rival No. 10 Bethel at 3 p.m., following the women’s matchup at 1 p.m.

Lancers’ Defense Shuts Down Maple Leafs
WINONA LAKE, Ind. - A stingy defensive effort lifted Grace’s women’s basketball team past Goshen on Saturday.
The Lancers (9-6, 2-3 Crossroads League) won 65-53, riding the back of a nearly perfect second-quarter performance.
The teams played an even first quarter. Emma Sperry helped Grace off to a fast start by scoring Grace’s first five points.
The Lancers’ offense hit a rut, however, needing three more minutes to score again.
The Maple Leafs ended the quarter with a last-second basket, and Goshen led 14-13 after 10 minutes. Sperry had nine of Grace’s 13 points.
Grace took a stranglehold on the game in the second quarter. The Lancers’ defense held Goshen to just two points in the frame, allowing the Lancers to charge in front.
Sophia Morrison was a spark off the bench, ripping off 10 second-quarter points.
Goshen committed eight turnovers in the face of Grace’s tenacious defense in the quarter, resulting in 11 points for the Lancers.
The Lancers led 34-16 at halftime, outscoring Goshen 21-2 in the second quarter.
Grace shot 42 percent from the floor while holding Goshen to 25 percent shooting. The Lancers also had an 11-0 advantage in points in the paint, and Goshen did not make a 3-pointer.
Grace ran into turnover problems of its own in the third quarter. The Lancers lost the ball five times, allowing the Maple Leafs to play even with Grace.
The Lancers shot the ball very well in the quarter, however, making 8 of 11 from the floor (73 percent.
To start the fourth quarter, Morrison and Sperry scored to push Grace’s lead to 20.
Goshen answered with six straight points, but Bekah Marshall countered with a 3-pointer and a layup on consecutive possessions.
The Lancers did not score for the final 4:04 of regulation, but Grace’s cushion was large enough to withstand any potential comeback.
Grace finished the game with a season-best 50 percent shooting from the field.
Morganne Houk led all players with 17 points to go along with six rebounds, and Morrison scored 15 points with a trio of 3s.
Sperry tallied 11 points on 3 of 4 shooting, and Peyton Murphy racked up 5 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals.
Maddy Poynter produced eight points and two steals, Marshall had seven points with two steals, and Kensie Ryman had five assists and two steals.
“It was good to see the ladies bounce back from a tough loss in Indy. We came out ready to play. I thought we played some really good basketball during the second quarter in particular,” said Grace head coach Dan Davis. “We got a little sloppy with the lead, but it was a good team effort overall today. We got contributions from everybody, which you want to see as you get into the meat of conference play.”
Next week, the Lancers will play at Huntington on Wednesday before returning home on Saturday versus Bethel.