By Jeremy McDonald
Jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com
TURNER, Ore.– The Crosshill Christian Boys Basketball team entered the second half trailing Santiam 28-17 in their non-league matchup Monday.
But by quarter’s end, it was a tied game at 39 apiece. A 22-11 run for Crosshill. It rejuvenated the Eagles, who entered the fourth quarter with the momentum that they converted into a lead shortly into the fourth quarter.
The defense was there. The offense rewarded the stops with baskets as they led 50-41 midway through the fourth quarter. Their halftime talk really fired up the first-year 2A squad as that 22-11 run in the third was now a 33-13 advantage as the game drew closer to the final buzzer.
“We just came out of the locker room on fire, and we knew we could have it. We could come back from an 11-point deficit. There, at the end, we just kind of slowed down a little bit. This was a great learning experience. We had to work hard against the big man (Owen Rupert), and he was hitting three’s and stuff. We can use this to motivate ourselves to get better and go to playoffs. We’re really hoping for playoffs this year,” said Crosshill’s Grady Lytle.
But. Just as it looked as if the Eagles would be pulling away for good, the Wolverines came back. They settled back down defensively and began to piece together a run of their own. And by the final minute of the game, we were all tied up at 51.
And as if 32 minutes weren’t good enough, we got four bonus minutes as it went to OT as both squad’s defense’s denied one another to settle the game in regulation. Crosshill came close with a game-winner as their last second shot at the buzzer just missed its mark that saw the game going into overtime.
“We just kept on grinding. Just to grind. We let up in the second half, but we came back and picked it up,” said the Wolverines’ Ace Areni. “It gives us a lot of momentum for the season. The teams coming up are going to be tough, but this really helps out a lot. Just keep playing together and building that chemistry in games and in practice.”
Jackson Lytle finished with 16 points to lead Crosshill. Grady Lytle contributed another 14, and Justus Kronberger scored 11 points for the Eagles, who will be at the Crusader Classic on Thursday.
Rupert and Areni each finished with 20 points to lead Santiam. Xaiver Vital scored seven for the Wolverines, who travel to play Scio on Thursday.
Photos By Jeremy
