Goshen at Valpo, Dec. 21 at 1:35 pm

[valpopal]

Crusaders look to record a dozen wins before Christmas! 

[LaPorteAveApostle]

like a movie poster

[talksalot]

Goshen played Judson U This afternoon in Elgin, IL... so they are playing back to back days... Judson won 79-71... and increased their record to 2-12.   Goshen fell to 9-5.. also losing a heart-breaker in the Best Western Crusader Classic at Madonna last Wednesday, 65-64.

Wednesday: Madonna 65, Goshen 64

An 18-for-22 performance at the foul line wasn't enough for the Maple Leafs on Wednesday, however, as Madonna's Shaun Duncan made the game-winning basket with seven seconds to play and the Crusaders prevailed in the final game of their own event.

Dominique Bolden led Goshen in scoring with 13 points; his six rebounds were one shy of Trevor Commissaris's seven for the team lead, while Commissaris finished a point shy of Bolden in scoring. Stefon Luckey added nine points for Goshen, while Brandon Demmings, Billy Geschke and Christian Grider added eight apiece; all eight Maple Leafs who played scored.

Goshen was plagued by 21 percent shooting from three-point range, while Madonna shot 35 percent from beyond the arc to offset a 47.1 percent clip from the foul line. The Maple Leafs turned the ball over 10 times while forcing the Crusaders into 13 giveaways.

Neither team led by more than seven points; Goshen took its largest lead at 33-26 with 18:45 to play. Madonna led by five with 3:18 left before a pair of free throws from Bolden cut the lead to three. The Maple Leafs scored their final points, an old-fashioned three-point play from Luckey, to take a 65-64 lead with 72 seconds remaining; the hosts missed a layup and two foul shots before a GC turnover set up the final possession.

The matchups for each day of the event were determined before the season, so while the game featured the two teams that won on Tuesday, it was not officially a championship game.

Coach Neal Young's team finds itself 9-4 with one official game to go before their Christmas break. The Leafs will return to action in Chicagoland twice this weekend, playing at Judson Saturday afternoon and at Division I Valparaiso in an exhibition on Sunday.

[valpotx]

Valpo 84
Goshen 53

It was good to see Chadwick get some minutes in place of Jubril against IPFW, as he will see even more playing time against Goshen.

[hailcrusaders]

Goshen played Judson U This afternoon in Elgin, IL... so they are playing back to back days... Judson won 79-71... and increased their record to 2-12.   Goshen fell to 9-5.. also losing a heart-breaker in the Best Western Crusader Classic at Madonna last Wednesday, 65-64.

Wednesday: Madonna 65, Goshen 64

An 18-for-22 performance at the foul line wasn't enough for the Maple Leafs on Wednesday, however, as Madonna's Shaun Duncan made the game-winning basket with seven seconds to play and the Crusaders prevailed in the final game of their own event.

Dominique Bolden led Goshen in scoring with 13 points; his six rebounds were one shy of Trevor Commissaris's seven for the team lead, while Commissaris finished a point shy of Bolden in scoring. Stefon Luckey added nine points for Goshen, while Brandon Demmings, Billy Geschke and Christian Grider added eight apiece; all eight Maple Leafs who played scored.

Goshen was plagued by 21 percent shooting from three-point range, while Madonna shot 35 percent from beyond the arc to offset a 47.1 percent clip from the foul line. The Maple Leafs turned the ball over 10 times while forcing the Crusaders into 13 giveaways.

Neither team led by more than seven points; Goshen took its largest lead at 33-26 with 18:45 to play. Madonna led by five with 3:18 left before a pair of free throws from Bolden cut the lead to three. The Maple Leafs scored their final points, an old-fashioned three-point play from Luckey, to take a 65-64 lead with 72 seconds remaining; the hosts missed a layup and two foul shots before a GC turnover set up the final possession.

The matchups for each day of the event were determined before the season, so while the game featured the two teams that won on Tuesday, it was not officially a championship game.

Coach Neal Young's team finds itself 9-4 with one official game to go before their Christmas break. The Leafs will return to action in Chicagoland twice this weekend, playing at Judson Saturday afternoon and at Division I Valparaiso in an exhibition on Sunday.

Exhibition? Not that it should make much of a difference but I thought exhibitions were October things...

[FWalum]

Valpo 84
Goshen 53

It was good to see Chadwick get some minutes in place of Jubril against IPFW, as he will see even more playing time against Goshen.

Also have to wonder how much Alec will play with the sprained left elbow. Before the IPFW game they were wondering how effective and how much he would be able to play.

[valporun]

In NAIA teams are allowed to play exhibitions at any point during the season.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

In NAIA teams are allowed to play exhibitions at any point during the season.

what is this, neighborhood kid sports where we can arbitrarily decide things?
"NO IT DINT COUNT!  THAT CAR WAS DRIVING BY!  THE SUN WAS IN MY EYES!!  MY DAD IS ADRIAN PETERSON!!!"

[agibson]

I might wish for tougher competition, but I appreciate the holiday season matinee.  Even avoids a conflict with the Christmas program at church.  Hopefully a good one for the highlight reel.

[classof2014]

If Alec is hurt why even bother playing him? It'll be nice to see guys like Nick, David, and Max get some significant playing time. A good final tune-up game before the conference season begins.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

If Alec is hurt why even bother playing him?

He's got a string of starts to keep up!  I suspect he won't play more than 12-15 minutes, but we'll see him.

[bbtds]

If Alec is hurt why even bother playing him? It'll be nice to see guys like Nick, David, and Max get some significant playing time. A good final tune-up game before the conference season begins.

I'm wondering if Chadwick will play that much today. He seems to need recovery time for his knee. In Nashville he begged off when Bryce wanted to put him in on successive days and playing 13 minutes the night before might restrict him. Maybe not.

[agibson]

I think this is the only game I've been to with no pep band.  I wonder what the story is?

[LaPorteAveApostle]

they boycotted when they learned goshen was treating this as an exhibition

[historyman]

One member showed up with his triangle but they refused to let him play by himself.

[hailcrusaders]

I think this is the only game I've been to with no pep band.  I wonder what the story is?

Finals ended Friday, students kicked out of campus housing yesterday, students would rather be home for Christmas week. Sometimes extended break housing is given to pep band for basketball games, but I doubt VU is too keen on doing so for an NAIA opponent

[agibson]

Near as I can tell there's been a tradition of alumni, staff , fans etc. picking up the slack .  So, they're a lot greater than usual , but as far as I can remember always present.  But not tonight.

Jacket still on with 12:05 to play.  Did it come off in the first half?

[oklahomamick]

This 2nd half is very difficult to watch.  Refs calling a foul every time down the court. 

[agibson]

Vashil breaks his own school record for blocks in a game.  Nice!

[agibson]

This 2nd half is very difficult to watch.  Refs calling a foul every time down the court. 

They seemed to be largely swallowing the whistle first half.  Lots of contact while game, both ways.

We seem to be getting an unusually large block to foul ratio.

[agibson]

I think the jackets going to stay on.

Nice dunk from T Walker there.  Why settle for the 3 if they're going to clear out for you?

[classof2014]

Didn't play great in the first half, after breaking out to a 17-0 lead took the foot off the pedal and the reserves played like... reserves. Bryce seemed to send a message to them, if you don't play well you don't play. Alec with another big game, 29 points, Vashil 8 blocks, and KC 10-4-4, all-be-it against DII but you can only play the teams you face.

[valpopal]

Today, I took the photo below of Alec Peters shooting one of his 3-point shots while Bryce watched. Peters scored 29 points in only 21 minutes against Goshen after scoring 23 points in just the second half against IPFW, a combined 52 points in about 21 hours of real time. Peters is still a sophomore who hasn't yet begun his second season of conference play, and he may never have the dramatic moments we all associate with Drew, though I hope he does. However, as I said when Alec was recruited, by the time he graduates, I believe Alec will be spoken in the same breath as Bryce when discussing the history of Valpo's greatest players. 

[vu72]

I didn't see Hammink sitting on the bench.  Jabril was there.  Something else going on or is this part of his punishment?

[classof2014]

Probably part of his punishment since he can't play, either that or he went home for break.