Eagles defeat Lakers 47-44 at home

Wednesday, 08 February 2012 4:29

(Tyler Arrowsmith hits on a short jump shot for two of his team high 15 points in basketball action against Lakeland on Friday night. Arrowsmith had 20 points on Saturday night in the Eagles’ 50-34 win over Garrett.) photo by hiatt

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by Don Hiatt

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The Churubusco boys’ basketball team faced the Lakeland Lakers at home on Friday night and the Eagles came away with a 47-44 win.

“I thought we had a really good start tonight,” said Coach Michael McBride. “We did what we wanted to do. I thought we did a really good job being patient and getting the ball down to Arrowsmith and I think the focus on Arrowsmith opened the shots for us on the floor and free-throw line.”

The first basket of the night came from Tyler Arrowsmith at the 6:27 mark. Lakeland took the ball right down the court and put themselves on the board with a basket. Josh LeFever made a lay-up for the Eagles to put the Eagles up 4-2. The Lakers and Eagles both missed shots but Lakeland was the first to score again. Chris Jones then passed the ball to Austin Goepfrich who put two more points on the scoreboard for the Eagles. Lakeland fouled Dylan Jones sending him to the free-throw line where he made one of two free-throws. Jones then grabbed a defensive rebound and threw the ball to Goepfrich who then passed the ball back to Dylan Jones for two more points. Lakeland answered with a 5-0 run to end the first quarter nine all.

“I thought it was a great team effort tonight,” stated Coach McBride. “We were good, looking at Arrowsmith having two or three guys on him and being able to dish it out to Dylan Jones who had a great game for us tonight.”

Arrowsmith started the second quarter with a basket for the Eagles. The Lakers scored two more points to tie the game 11 all. Arrowsmith then got the ball down low and was double-teamed so he dished the ball to the open Dylan Jones for two more points for the Eagles. Lakeland scored two unanswered baskets and took the lead before Arrowsmith got fouled getting an offensive rebound. Arrowsmith went 1-2 from the free-throw line. Lakeland hit a big three-pointer to advance the lead to four. Dylan Jones received the ball from LeFever for an easy two points. The Lakers went on a 4-0 run to end the half 22-16 Lakeland.

“LeFever getting in foul trouble affected our flow a little bit,” explained Coach McBride. “We went down six at halftime and our kids were a little discouraged at half but we talked to them about focusing on defense.”

Lakeland went 1-2 from the line to start the third quarter. Churubusco made their first points of the second half on the free-throw line as well. Dylan Jones went 1-2. The Eagles received the ball back after a Lakeland turnover. Arrowsmith made a lay-up and was fouled. Arrowsmith went to the line and missed the free-throw, but Dylan Jones was right there to get the offensive rebound. Jones then missed the put-back and Arrowsmith was there to get the offensive rebound and the put-back for two more points for the Eagles. The Lakers then went on a 5-0 run, but fouled Arrowsmith who went 2-2 from the line to start an Eagle 9-0 run getting baskets from Arrowsmith, LeFever, and a three-pointer from Goepfrich to take the lead at the end of the third quarter 30-28.

“It was a real team effort,” said Dylan Jones. “I came in the morning and shot free throws to prepare for tonight.”

The Eagles kept rolling in the fourth quarter with a basket from Chris Jones. The Lakers then made a basket. Arrowsmith put in the lay-up off an offensive rebound to make it 34-30 Churubusco. Lakeland had a three-pointer to come within one. Then LeFever missed a shot, got his own rebound, and put in the lay-up for two more points. Lakeland again answered with another three-pointer to tie the game 36 all. Churubusco gave the ball back to Lakeland off an offensive foul and Arrowsmith blocked their shot. Lakeland fouled Chris Jones and he went 2-2 from the free-throw line. Lakeland made a basket, was fouled and made the free throw to take the lead by one. Churubusco’s Chris Jones then took the ball down the court, scored two, got the defensive rebound, and dished the ball to LeFever who hit a big three for the Eagles to take the lead 43-39 with 1:53 left to go. Lakeland scored two and fouled Jones. He made both free throws to make the score 45-41 with 0:54 to go. The Lakers took the ball down the court and hit a three and fouled Jones. Again Jones made both free throws to seal an Eagle 47-44 victory.

“Big plays tonight helped us,” said Coach McBride. “Chris Jones hitting the jump shot at the top of the key, Josh LeFever hitting the big three in the corner, and Dylan Jones hitting four free-throws in a row with the game on the line was big for us tonight.”

The Churubusco Eagles faced the Garrett Railroaders on Saturday night and defeated Garrett 50-34.

“Really, really pleased with our effort tonight,” said Coach McBride.

The Eagles received the first points on the game from two free throws from Arrowsmith. Garrett scored a basket and fouled Dylan Jones. Jones made both free throws. Churubusco received the ball off a Garrett turnover and executed with an Arrowsmith basket. Garrett then missed a basket and Austin Goepfrich drained a three. At the 3:54 mark, Garrett made their last basket of the quarter and Churubusco took control. The Eagles went on a 12-0 run getting a basket and three-pointer from Josh LeFever, two baskets from Arrowsmith and a three-pointer from Goepfrich to end the quarter 21-4 Churubusco.

“We were really ready to go tonight,” explained Coach McBride. “I thought our defense was just so high in the first quarter and our offense execution was just great tonight.”

Churubusco was the first to score in the second quarter with a free throw from LeFever. Garrett got on the scoreboard with a three-pointer. The Eagles answered with a basket from Arrowsmith. The Railroaders scored another basket, but Goepfrich took a pass from LeFever and drained another three-pointer for the Eagles. Garrett then fouled Dylan Jones and he made both free throws. Churubusco fouled the Railroaders and they made the basket and the free throw. The Railroaders received the ball back from an Eagle’s missed shot and made another basket. Arrowsmith answered with a basket to end the half 31-14 Churubusco.

“I thought Joe Zumbrun was really big for us tonight,” stated Coach McBride. “He played a lot of minutes in the first half and he was really, really good on the board and defensive end for us tonight.”

The third quarter started with a three baskets in a row from Arrowsmith. The Railroaders finally got on the scoreboard with two three-pointers. Then Churubusco made two baskets in a row from LeFever and Zumbrun. Garrett would end the third quarter on the free-throw line making both free throws.

“Foul trouble hurt us in the third quarter,” explained Coach McBride. “We were out of quarters for the JV kids and that hurt us.”

Garrett started the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run, but the run ended when Garrett fouled Arrowsmith and Arrowsmith went 1-2 from the free-throw line. The Railroaders scored again with a two-point basket. Churubusco then went on a 7-0 run getting baskets from Dylan Jones, and two baskets and a free-throw from LeFever. Garrett was the last to get on the scoreboard with a free throw to end the game 50-34 Eagles.

“Overall tonight was a great team effort,” said Coach McBride. “Arrowsmith was a stud and I thought we did a great job looking and getting the ball to him tonight. I thought it was a really good job by our team.”

The Churubusco Eagles are back in action on Thursday at Hamilton. Come and support your Eagles as they are going for six wins in a row.