L.I. Lutheran Dominates Holy Cross

FLUSHING, NY - Even though they had won their first five games of the season, Tuesday was being anticipated as a good test for Long Island Lutheran as they went on the road for the first time to take on Holy Cross in Queens. After a competitive opening quarter and a half, the Crusaders showed once again how dominant they can be as they were able to run away with it in the 2nd half for the convincing 87-55 victory.

Most already view LuHi as one of the top teams in the area, ranked #1 in the NYCHoops.net Long Island Rankings, while also being nationally ranked by numerous outlets, but this game took on a greater meaning according to Crusaders guard Devonte Green '16 as a chance to prove that they could play just as well away from home.

"That's exactly what we wanted to show," Green stated. "We knew this would be a statement game for us because we play the Catholic champions (Christ the King) later on this season so we just wanted to come out and get Holy Cross first."

Known as a high octane team who can run up and down the floor with anyone, LuHi came out and tried to push the tempo to start the game in front of a near packed crowd in Flushing, Queens, and they were successful from the get go.

Green stole the ball from Knights guard Jermaine Bishop '15, and took it all the way for the easy fast break layup to open the scoring for the Crusaders as he and guard Chris Burkley '15 specifically were able to cause a lot of problems for the Holy Cross defense early on as LuHi was able to grab a 14-4 lead just over 3 minutes into the game.

There was a bright spot for Holy Cross thigh as 6'5" wing Christian Wilson '16 came out firing and knocking down jumpers from the perimeter including his first 3 three point attempts as the Knights stemmed the tide, and we're looking better in the fast paced game.

It was 24-13 Long Island Lutheran after the first quarter, but with Wilson scoring 14 points midway through the 2nd quarter, and the Knights within 30-24 with 4:31 left in the half, defensively things needed to change.

"Coach said we needed to get out on their shooters," Green said about what needed to be done better defensively at that point in the game. "We knew the scouting report, we just needed to apply it."

Crusaders head coach John Buck pretty soon after though switched over to a zone, something the coach admitted he only practices about once every 10 or 11 practices, but he felt at that moment, it was a necessity.

"The game was being called tight both ways so it was just very tough for us to guard without fouling," Buck said. "They have good guards who can get to the rim, so we played zone and matched up with the guys who we knew could shoot."

Not being a zone defense team, instead being a team that focuses on man to man principles primarily, in only a 6 point game it would be curious to see how Long Island Lutheran responded, and like any team who has the talent and depth that they have, they responded favorably.

They were quick and didn't let shooters get off hood looks as they closed out much the way Buck wanted. LuHi scored the final 8 points in the half as well as they were able to create steals and push the ball up the floor for easy buckets from Green, Elijah Bailey '15, and Jordan Walker '17, a young and talented guard who was solid from long range, helping give the Crusaders a 44-30 lead at the break.

LuHi came out very strong to start the 2nd half, and after a quick 10-2 run, were up 52-32 with 5:13 to go in the 3rd. Everyone was contributing for the Crusaders, but it was Green, who had scored a combined 64 points in his previous two games, who was truly taking over. He seems to have taken his game to an even higher level in this his junior season, and he says he feels that is primarily because of the way he looks at things now.

"It's my mindset," Green explained. "I'm more mature, I'm learning to stay around the basket, I'm finishing my layups, and I'm helping out on the glass. It's really the little things."

He was good last year, but he has become great now and his team first attitude in this game had LuHi turning it on in the 2nd half. A spin in the lane to avoid traffic by Green made it a 70-42 game as the Crusaders we're able to finish in a wide variety of ways late in the game. Atkinson drove the length of the court, splitting defenders along the way for an impressive basket, and then with all the starters out of the game, little used reserve guard Justin Brown '15 was able to bury a three from the corner to get the LuHi bench jumping up and down as they had many reasons to celebrate this one, taking down a solid Holy Cross team pm the road, 87-55.

Green had a game high 26 points in the win for Long Island Lutheran, but 6 players had 8 or more points showing just how balanced they can be. Bailey had 12 points for the Crusaders, while Burkley and Atkinson each added 11 as well in the win.

For Holy Cross, Wilson once again showed he has the potential to be a big time player moving forward as he poured in 25 points for the Knights, with Bishop and Chaz Platt '16 adding 11 and 6 respectively in the defeat.

Buck admitted after the victory that he was pleased with the effort, though he wants to see better rebounding from his squad, along with giving up less second chance points. But without a pair of important players in forward Marvin Prochet '15 and guard Losini Kamara '17, who are currently out due to injury, the Crusaders are still looking like a team that will be a force to be reckoned with all season long, and when they do return, which could be very soon for Kamara, and about another month for Prochet, Buck, who is normally reserved about his team, admitted they could be extremely dangerous.

"I told those guys, if they let me coach them hard in a game when they win, if they still let me coach them hard, we're going to be very special. When healthy, this team is scary good."