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LL semi's @ LS Feb. 11, 2009
CV 51 Hempfield 45
For the second night in a row, a 4A seeded team lost at LS. This time it was Hempfield that came up short vs. the runner-up in section 2, CV. CV needed a low scoring game and they got it. The Bucks out rounded, blocked more shots, and allowed ZERO threes from Hempfield. This game was very, very similar to the PM/LCHS game in that both games were close at half and both ."underdogs." got a little run in the third and then held on to win the game. CV earns the right to play Section 2 champ, Etown.
Both teams were slow out of the gate. CV, the lowest scoring team left in the LL, was content to pass the ball and look for good shots. In fact the score was 3-2 at the 4 minute mark of the first. Matt Donato, 6'2." sn for Hempfield scored 8 points in the first quarter for the Knights. All every thing Jeremy Skoloda, 6'3." sn, drained a three ball under the 2 minute mark. Josh Cody, CV's pt, hit a foul to end a 7-0 run for the Bucks. Donato hit a fall away jumper with 4 ticks left to end the quarter at 11-10, Bucks.
Jae Pugh, 6'6." center for CV, sat the entire 2nd quarter with 2 fouls. Hempfield gained 3 points in the quarter. With Pugh on the bench, Hempfield went inside to 6'5." center, Taylor McDuffie. He delivered with 5 points in a 3 minute span. On the other end, Skoloda woiuld not allow the Knights to widen the gap. He scored 12 in the quarter including 2 three balls. Hempfield took a 26-25 lead into the locker room.
3rd quarter..enter Mr. Pugh. With CV dominating the off and def boards and Pugh blocking shots, CV, held the Knights to 6 points in the quarter. Pugh hit two 15 foot jumpers and Skoloda hit a HUGE bomb at the end of the quarter after a TO by CV with 10 seconds to go on the clock. HUGE. CV 39-32. Key to the game and quarter was a huge advantage on the boards for CV. LLhoops had it 8-2.
Hempfield started driving to the basket in the fourth. After a Pugh follow to start the quarter, Hempfield hit 4 fouls shots and a drive by Christian Walck, 6'1." jn guard, to cut the lead to three at 41-38 with 4:45 to go in the game. Hempfield started pressing and trapping. Leonard Williams, 6'2." jn forward, ended CV's 3 min draught with a driving, a hanging pushed -up prayer at the 4:20 mark to give CV a 43-38 lead. Hemfield turned the ball over, but had the opportunity to set up its press. CV broke it, not quickly, but did get a lay-up off it as Joel Lapp finished. CV needed to call 3 time outs in the next minute to protect against turnovers and protect the lead. Mark Enoch hit a layup off a CV turnover to cut the lead to 45-42 with 2:30 left. CV finally seemed to settle down. They spread the floor and made long passes over the Hempfield pressure. Pugh hit a pair of free throws and then scored on a tip to stretch the lead to 7 at 49-42. Hempfield cut it to 4 and missed a foul and got the rebound with :38 seconds left and launched a three, but it sailed wide. CV hit 2 free throws to seal the deal.
Stats..unofficial, of course
Rebounds CV 24 Hempfield 20
Turnovers Hempfield 13 CV 11
Blocked shots CV 4 Hempfield 0
Points CV Jae Pugh 15 Jeremy Skoloda 17
Hempfield Matt Donato 10 Christian Walck 10
Quotables..Brad Herr, CV....."The key was our 1/2; court def. You need that to win big games. ..We needed to take care of the boards..I give Hempfield players a lot of credit as they played tough the entire game. They kept the pressure on us down the stretch....1/2 court man is out bread and butter..in the last game we gave up way too many easy baskets to Hempfield. We wanted them to work for their points...Jae Pugh is too valuable for us to pick up his 3rd foul in the first half, that is why we had him sit the second quarter..Leonard Williams gave us a lift in the second quarter. He defense was excellent...It was a great team effort. ..Cody is sneaky quick..We call him the ."Bandit." because he steals the ball...Jeremy is the best player in the LL. He leads us in assists as well as points. He does so much for us....Our kids believed. We've been so close most of the year. We finally got one.."
Sidelines...Nice crowd at LS but not as big as the PM/LCHS crowd..CV student section was excellent with cheers and chants...The game reminded me of the old section 1 battles with Bob Borden and Warren Goodling on the benches. Bob Borden was there but on the opposite side of the floorJ...LL insider bloggin away again- Jeff Reinhart at the controls. ..John Achille, head LS coach , came back from scouting Reading HS. LS plays Reading Saturday. Reading will play in the Berks championship game Friday...CV also will play Friday vs Etown and then first round of districts vs Twin Valley at CV Saturday. Coach Herr was teasing me about my odds..well, I stand by them.I got one out of 2 in the finals...The fun of the tournament is that teams have to play each other. Wasn't a few years ago that everyone was down on Section 2?
First round of LL's @ LS Feb. 9, 2009 LCHS 58 PM 52
LCHS opened the 3rd with a 3-2 zone. The Comets had trouble hitting from the outside, plus they were limited to one shot as LCHS did a great job boxing out. A mini run by LCHS on buckets from 6’4”, jn, Andrew Heise and a backdoor play by Purvis gave LCHS an 8 point lead, which proved fatal for PM. Neither team could put together runs and this benefited LCHS. The Crusaders lead going into the 4th by a 42-36 score.
~Dell Jackson
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