Cagers Win Finale
February 15, 2024
The Cagers entered the game with just one win under their belt. However, the Cagers, playing their best basketball over the last two weeks of the season, finally found paydirt in the win column by defeating Hametown Christian by a score of 53-44.
The Cagers (2-14) won the tip and aggressively attacked the Hametown 2-3 zone defense. With Anthony Gonzales at the helm, the Cagers sliced and diced their way to an early 6-2 lead. Gonzales would find fellow teammate Trent Roe behind the zone for a quick bucket. Luke DeRodes continued his strong play to score 8 points in the frame, many of which were a result of Gonzales running the offense. “Anthony has really grown over the course of the year and the last three games he has been the catalyst to get our scorers the ball in the right situations,” said 7th-year head coach Doug Hamsher. However, Hametown would match the Cagers output plus one point to take a 14-13 lead at the end of the quarter.
The second quarter is where the Cagers would make their run. And run they did. The game plan in the second eight minutes was to get the game moving at a fast pace. Led by Bridger Campbell, the Cagers would dominate the defensive boards and get the ball out in transition. Roe received a pass and scored on an acrobatic layup. DeRodes would follow that up with a bucket on the break. With Hametown struggling to get into defensive position, the Cagers whipped the ball around the horn and found a wide-open Noah Richardson beyond the arc on the left side. The 5-10 guard set his feet, let it fly, and found the bottom of the net! “The pace forced them to really get back to defend our break, when they stopped that, we were selfless and found the open man (Noah) and he made them pay,” said Hamsher. When the game was in the half court, Gonzales once again found the open man. This time it was DeRodes who took advantage to score 6 more points giving him 8 for the quarter and 16 for the half. The Cager defense only allowed 8 total points for Hametown, and by halftime the score was in favor of the Cagers 29-22.
The Cagers continued to force the pace out of the halftime break. Roe took over as his athleticism took center stage. The 6-2 wing got the rebound and with his long bounding strides beat the entire Hametown defense up the court resulting in a high-flying finish at the rim. “Trent was on a mission tonight. He is a very good athlete and showed his speed and explosiveness in the open floor,” said Hamsher. With the defense focusing on stopping Roe, Daylan Nussbaum snuck behind the defense on transition for a bucket. Gonzales would call his own number and float one over the rim. The defense held true, only allowing the Saints 8 points. And by the end of the third, the Cagers had a commanding 15-point lead that they would never relinquish.
The fourth period was one in which the play got a little bit sloppy at both ends of the court for the Cagers. DeRodes capped off a fantastic game with 6 more points to raise his tally to a game high 24. Even though they were outscored by Hametown, it was an opportunity for Hamsher to reflect on a successful season. “This team endured a lot of hard times, but I think if you saw us play at the beginning of the year and then saw us the last 4 to 5 games, we are a much better team. This group continued to get better and better and although the wins and losses don’t show it, this Cager team is one of the most improved teams I have ever coached. They were coachable, had great chemistry, and maximized who they were as a unit. That’s all a coach can ask for. I am proud of these guys of how far they have come as players and young men of character.”
Besides DeRodes game high 24 points, Roe had 18, Gonzales added 6, Richardson 3, and Daylan Nussbam rounded out the scorebook with 2 points.
