BY JEFF FALK
SOUTH LEBANON – So, exactly what is a ‘showcase’? A showcase is a series of four non-league basketball games involving somewhat random opponents played on or around the holidays.
How is a showcase different than a tournament? No championships. No trophies. No MVPs. No all-tournament teams. No defined conclusions.
But that doesn’t mean there are no winners or losers. Or that the competition is devoid of drama.
On Friday evening, the host Falcons emerged as one of the victors of the inaugural Cedar Crest Boys’ Basketball Holiday Showcase with a thrilling 41-39 victory over Cedar Cliff. Blake Thomson provided the thrills for the Falcons, with a slicing, right-handed, game-winning drive through the lane, with seven seconds to go.
After creating a turnover with the score knotted at 39, Cedar Crest milked the clock for more than a minute, before Thomson took his man hard to the hoop from the top of the circle. Cedar Cliff did manage a good look at a potential game-winning three-pointer from the right wing with two seconds left, but the attempt clanged long off the back rim.
When the dust finally settled, the Falcons had pulled out a close home win for a second consecutive night, and had improved to 6-2 overall. The result left Cedar Cliff 0-9 on the year.
“It came about after (Lebanon) Coach (Tim) Speraw and I agreed that playing each once wasn’t enough,” said Cedar Crest head coach Tom Smith of his program’s rivals. “The rivalry’s too good, so we tried to get into each other’s tournaments (the Falcons competed in Lebanon’s tip-off tournament earlier this month), and when we did, we were put in the same section. I just thought with the possibility of playing them (the Cedars) so many times, I decided to make it a showcase instead of a traditional tournament.
“We had good teams here,” continued Smith. “Lebanon is a crosstown rivalry. They bring a good fan base. I thought we had a good group of teams. I thought it was a success for us.”
“I’d definitely rather play in a tournament,” said Thomson. “Maybe get a championship. But we didn’t want to play Lebanon four or five times. I don’t make the rules, so a showcase it is.”
Thomson’s heroics saved the Falcons, after they squandered a seven-point fourth-quarter lead and had played a lackluster first half.
The Falcons got that 39-32 lead by holding the Colts without a point for the opening 4:43 of the fourth period. A drive by Logan Horn and foul shots from Thomson, Brody Dunlop and Adam Loehr provided the points for the 7-0 run.
But C. Cliff nailed back-to-back treys and then a free throw to tie the score at 39, with 1:26 to go. C. Crest misfired on a pair of charity tosses before Thomson intervened.
“We weren’t going to hold for the last shot,” said Smith. “We wanted to get a good shot. But they (the Colts) backed up. They didn’t pressure the ball.
“We found a way to win at the end of the game,” added Smith. “We scrapped. When you play bad and win games, you’ll take it.”
“I can go with either hand,” said Thomson. “It kind of depends on what situation presents itself. We wanted to hold the ball, waste clock and hope for the best shot. We practiced it today. Today was just another day of practice.
“I’m driving until someone stops me,” Thomson added. “And if they do, I dish it. It just depends on who’s hot or open.”
Following an uneven first half, the Falcons played with more energy in the third quarter.
After facing three different five-point deficits – 27-22, 29-24, 32-27 – Cedar Crest got a three-ball out of Cole Laney and a couple of free throws from Thomson at the end of the stanza to tie the score at 32.
“A win is a win,” said Smith. “I’m happy with the effort. I’m not sure I’m happy with the execution. But everything is fixable.
“It was just the next one on our schedule,” Smith continued. “I don’t want to say it was any bigger than any other game. It was a chance to compete.”
“I don’t think we did play our best game,” said Thomson. “It was a tough game. We didn’t come ready to play. Maybe we expected a win. We weren’t ready from the start.”
Thomson collected a game-high 17 points. The Falcons outscored the Colts by three points at the charity stripe, despite a ten-for-17 shooting night there.
“I thought we played well defensively in spurts,” said Smith. “Our overall defense was good when it needed to be. But we didn’t do it consistently for 32 minutes.
“I thought our effort was better in the second half,” Smith added. “I don’t think we were ready at the start. We started to hit our stride in the second quarter. But we didn’t play with the effort and intensity we can play with.”
After relinquishing a 5-0 start, Cedar Crest regained the lead at 13-11, with a Thomson three-pointer, with 2:50 left in the opening quarter. But the Falcons didn’t score again over the next 7:53 of game clock, during which Cedar Cliff was forging a 19-13 advantage.
The Colts enjoyed a 25-22 lead in the locker room.
“It’s much better than being 2-6,” said Smith of his club’s overall record. “We’re a young team. We’re growing. I’m not sure we’re playing our best basketball, and we have the meat of our schedule coming up.
“We’re grinding right now,” continued Smith. “The kids are working hard in practice. It’s going to click. When it does, we’re going to have a lot of success. Until we do, we’ve got to continue to grind.”
To purchase images in this article email jkfalk2005@yahoo.com, or to view more go to https://lebanonsportsbuzz.com/photo-gallery/.
2016-17 Cedar Crest Boys’ Basketball Schedule
| DATE |
OPPONENT |
TIME |
RESULT |
|
|
| 12/09 # |
Elco
|
6:00 PM |
W 87-63 |
|
|
| 12/10 # |
@Lebanon
|
7:30 PM |
W 58-42 |
|
|
| 12/12 |
Manheim Central
|
7:30 PM |
L 45-63 |
|
|
| 12/16 * |
McCaskey
|
7:30 PM |
W 72-66 |
|
|
| 12/19 * |
@Warwick
|
7:30 PM |
L 56-61 |
|
|
| 12/21 * |
Conestoga Valley
|
7:30 PM |
W 58-53 |
|
|
| 12/29 |
Camp Hill
|
7:30 PM |
W 45-41 |
|
|
| DATE |
OPPONENT |
TIME |
LOCATION |
|
| 12/30 |
Cedar Cliff
|
7:30 PM |
Cedar Crest High School |
|
| 01/03 * |
@Manheim Twp.
|
7:30 PM |
Manheim Twp. High School |
|
| 01/06 * |
@Hempfield
|
7:30 PM |
Hempfield High School |
|
| 01/10 * |
Penn Manor
|
7:30 PM |
Cedar Crest High School |
|
| 01/13 * |
Lebanon
|
7:30 PM |
Cedar Crest High School |
|
| 01/17 * |
@McCaskey
|
7:30 PM |
McCaskey High School |
|
| 01/20 * |
Warwick
|
7:30 PM |
Cedar Crest High School |
|
| 01/24 * |
@Conestoga Valley
|
7:30 PM |
Conestoga Valley High School |
|
| 01/27 * |
Manheim Twp.
|
7:30 PM |
Cedar Crest High School |
|
| 01/28 |
@Wilson West Lawn
|
6:00 PM |
Wilson West Lawn High School |
|
| 01/31 * |
Hempfield
|
6:00 PM |
Cedar Crest High School |
|
| 02/03 * |
@Penn Manor
|
7:30 PM |
Penn Manor High School |
|
| 02/04 |
York
|
7:30 PM |
Cedar Crest High School |
|
| 02/07 * |
@Lebanon
|
7:30 PM |
Lebanon High School |
|
Lancaster-Lebanon League
Section One Standings
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