Boys' Basketball: Crusaders Comeback Falls Short

Visiting Chelmsford (4-5) held a 30-18 lead at the half and then held on, surviving a 20 point Groton-Dunstable  third quarter, before finally escaping with a 56-50 win in an exciting well-played Sunday afternoon game.

Lions hit 11 threes in the game, six in the first half, to make this one look like it was going to get ugly for the Crusaders who fell to 1-7 on the season.

 "We talked about it at the break," said Coach Keith Woods. "The kids insisted they were comfortable with the 1-3-1 defense they played in the summer league. Let's try it," agreed Woods.

Crusaders opened the third on a 12-1 run, eventually taking a brief 33-32 lead on freshman Cory Romich's (15 pts.) deep three ball. Center Scott Csaplar answered a Chelmsford basket with a solid offensive rebound and put-back to knot the score at 35-35.

Lions' Eric Van Gelder (18 pts.) and GD's Matt Conlin (15 pts.) matched threes to tie the game at 38-38 with time running out in the third, a period that saw the Lions out rebounded 11-3.

Van Gelder, Voshon Holmes and Russell Olive (2) all buried threes early in the fourth quarter for Chelmsford and GD quickly found themselves in a hole again.

Romich hit a three with 21.4 remaining to get the Crusaders to within three but the clock was not their ally.

  "The schedule is tough. There are no soft games in there but they are great kids and are a pleasure to coach," Woods said.

You can see the intensity this team displays despite their unspectacular start to the season. Coleman and Charles Hill, Matt Conlin, Drew Moore, Phil Dubay, Charlie Burke sprint down court, transitioning from offense to defense and play "D" with the ferocity of a wounded animal. The work ethic is there for these athletes. In time, hopefully, the positive results will follow.