Junior forward Cade Lott knew right away where his Heritage Academy boys basketball team’s performance Tuesday night ranked this season.
“It was the best game we have played all year,” Lott said. “Easily. There is no question about it. We played really well.”
Few in attendance at the Heritage Academy Gym disagreed.
Heritage Academy scored the game’s first eight points and rolled past Immanuel Christian 65-37.
The teams managed a doubleheader split, as the Immanuel Christian girls earned a 51-45 victory in the opener.
While the first contest was decided in the final minute, the second contest didn’t hold as much drama.
“We like to run the floor,” Heritage Academy coach Yandell Harris said. “When we are effective at running the floor, it means we are getting our wings out and they are doing a good job of feeding the big men in transition. Our big men really ran the floor great tonight.
“The ability to get so many easy baskets in transition was the difference.”
The Patriots (10-5) are trying to get more players into the scoring column. The plan worked Tuesday night, as senior center Bobby McGrath, typically the team’s leading scorer most nights, only had three points entering the final quarter.
“Bobby did what a leader does and that was he set the tone on the defensive end,” Harris said. “Everything Immanuel tries to do on offense starts with No. 25 (Jason Davis). Bobby really defended him hard and frustrated him.
“While other players were carrying the offensive load, Bobby stepped up and really made a statement and changed the game on the defensive end.”
The Patriots dominated on defense when the contest was in doubt. Brad Dickey and Lott each had a pair of first-quarter blocked shots, as Heritage Academy forced 14 first-quarter turnovers.
The style was to the hosts’ liking even though they only led 10-4 after eight minutes. Heritage Academy seized control for good by making three 3-pointers in the second quarter and building a double-digit lead.
“Once our shots started falling, we were in good shape,” Lott said. “We got so many players involved tonight, and that was a really good sign. I thought we did a great job of passing the basketball. Several players got hot at the right time.”
Dickey’s shooting kept the Rams (19-7) at bay in the third quarter, while McGrath tallied most of his points in the fourth quarter as a fatigued Immanuel Christian failed to stop a series of fast breaks
Heritage Academy led 27-15 at halftime, and had a 16-point lead before a 9-0 run helped end the third quarter and start the fourth quarter.
“Our depth was a big factor in the game,” Harris said. “We played 10 or 11 guys. We ran the entire game. You could tell they were really winded there in the fourth quarter.”
Dickey led all scorers with 20 points. Lott added 19 points, while McGrath scored 11 points.
Ross Moore led Immanuel Christian with nine.
In the opener, Immanuel Christian coach Jenny Hutcherson hit her magic number.
“I have tried to encourage our team all year to have 10 turnovers or less in a ballgame,” Hutcherson said. “At the most, we could have 15. Tonight, we had 10 turnovers. That is a wonderful, wonderful thing for this team. Playing offense like that will give us a chance to win some games.”
The Lady Rams (16-8) also took control on defense, as Heritage Academy (6-11) only managed two field goals in the opening quarter. Immanuel Christian built an early lead and took advantage of a size advantage underneath to keep control.
“If you don’t come out and play with a lot of effort and fire you are going to find yourself in a hole,” Harris said. “That is where we were. We are such a young, inexperienced team. We are having a hard time learning how hard you have to play.
“In the second half, we had a much better half, but we were too far down.”
With early struggles from behind the perimeter, Immanuel Christian moved the ball inside. Taylor Baudoin responded with 16 points, while Kaitlyn Shreiner had 10 points and was 10-for-10 from the free-throw line.
“We had to work the ball inside because our outside shots were not falling,” Shreiner said. “It was our job to step up and make baskets or get to the free throw line.”
Hutcherson feels like her squad is growing and maturing, which will help it for the stretch run.
“We have had several close games lately,” Hutcherson said. “These games have come down to who has wanted it more. We really had to fight to get our hands on some critical loose balls tonight. Nothing ever really came easy.”
Heritage Academy battled back from a 10-point second-half deficit to close within one early in the fourth quarter. The Lady Rams responded with a series of critical offensive rebounds.
“We are really playing together as one,” Shreiner said. “When the season began, this team was not that close. All of that has changed. We really do a great job of playing together as a team. We have to stay focused and stay within ourselves. If we do that, we can keep winning.”
Kristen Phillips paced Heritage Academy with 20 points.
Scott was sports editor for The Dispatch.
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