Ryan Crase had been waiting six weeks for last Saturday night, the first time this season the Trinity Lutheran boys basketball coach was able to see his full team in action.
The Cougars hosted Hauser in the Bollinger Athletic Complex and Trinity appeared in good shape to pick up its second win of the season, holding a 44-34 lead with just over two minutes remaining. But the Jets outscored the home team 10-0 over the final 2:20 for a 46-44 win.
“It was not like we were playing a lot of youngsters tonight,” Crase said. “We had a lot of experience out there that has been in this tested situation before and we just choked tonight.”
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Tyler Goecker drove for a layup with 2:30 remaining to put Trinity up 44-34.Then the Cougars had three turnovers in the closing minutes, missed all three shots from the floor and missed two free throws.
Hauser came roaring back. Hauser pulled to within 44-43 on a basket by Bryce Bates with 36 seconds remaining, and won on a 3-pointer from Eli Miller from the top of the key with eight seconds left.
The Cougars called time to set up a final shot, which Mitchell Hackman took from the left of the lane, but the ball bounced off the rim as the buzzer sounded.
The Cougars are 1-3 this season in games decided by five points or less.
“Mostly it was decision-making,” Crase said. “We actually didn’t have a lot of problems breaking the press. It was when we broke it and got into the half-court. It seemed like we were not able to make one pass before we turned it over.”
This was senior Jack Marksberry’s first game of the season returning from a shoulder injury. He topped the Cougars with 14 points.
“He blended in,” Crase said. “He was shaking off some rust, too, when you go that long without playing. He missed some bunnies he normally makes. I was really proud of his effort and his defense and the way he stuck with it and got better as the game went on.”
Marksberry made a 3-pointer and two free throws for all five of Trinity’s first-period points as the Cougars trailed 6-5 entering the second quarter.
Hackman played in Trinity’s previous two games after missing the first six contests because of an ankle injury. He started Saturday, but reinjured the ankle early in the first period and sat out the remainder of the half. After receiving treatment at halftime, Hackman re-entered the game in the second half and made a 3-pointer early in the fourth quarter
“Mitch turned his ankle again, but came back out there and was tough throughout the game,” Crase said. “I was proud of the effort for all but the last two minutes.”
Hudson Norton had a hot hand for the Cougars in the second period with a 3-pointer and 7 points as Trinity trailed 19-18 at the half.
Goecker scored Trinity’s first eight points of the third period to spark his team to a 28-24 lead going into the fourth period.
Norton finished with 11 points and Goecker scored 10, with 9 rebounds.
Bates topped the Jets (5-6) with 20 points and had 9 rebounds.
“It was one of those games where we couldn’t buy a basket throughout the game,” Crase said. “Our scoring was way down. I was so proud of our effort on defense. For those upperclassmen to have a bunch of turnovers it was a heartbreaking loss for us.”
Trinity (1-7) will travel to Indianapolis Lutheran Friday night.