Blazers Outlast Cagers
January 5, 2024
Despite a team high 21 points from Alex Schroer, the Cagers came up on the short end of the stick to the visiting Blazers of Faith Christian Academy by a score of 41-36.
Slow starts have been the mantra this year for the Cagers, and Friday night in Sterling was no different. If not for Schroer, there would have been zero production at all in the first quarter. Schroer would score on a couple of buckets around the rim to pace the hosts. However, a huge scare came midway through the frame. With the score 6-4 in favor of Faith, Schroer took off down the floor looking to hammer a monster dunk on the break. Schroer rose up high in the air and cocked his right arm. Just as he was in midflight, a Blazer defender came flying in and undercut the 6-3 junior, flipping him in the air. He landed on his side with a thud. After regaining his bearing, he walked off the floor holding his left wrist. Needless to say, it was a senseless play. “Most teams that we play don’t know how to play against an athlete like Alex. And the kid who undercut him doesn’t understand that what he did was not a basketball play. There was no way he was going to block that dunk or even take a charge. He put Alex in a dangerous spot. Alex was very lucky he wasn’t hurt any worse,” said Cager bench coach Doug Hamsher. Schroer would sit out the rest of the quarter leaving the Cagers with only four players eligible to play in the half. Being shorthanded didn’t stop the Cagers from playing hard and holding Faith to just 4 more in the frame. Unfortunately, the Cagers could not muster another point and they were down 10-4 after the 1st period.
Schroer would re-enter the game in the second quarter and that seemed to spark the Cager offense. Finding a groove, the host team went to work in the half court. Luke DeRodes would find paydirt, followed by a bucket by Bridger Campbell. Noah Richardson added a two-pointer, and Schoer would match his 1stquarter point total with 4 more. The defense held and the Cagers climbed back in the game down 17-14 at half. Hamsher seemed very pleased heading into the 2ndhalf. “We started to finally figure it out on offense and that was a good thing.”
The Cagers started strong again in the 3rd quarter. Anthony Gonzalez got into the mix as he drove left and put up a scoop shot in traffic for 2. DeRodes would add another bucket to take the lead 18-17. Both teams would trade buckets and then Schroer would find nothing but nylon from beyond the arc. The Blazers would counter with a 3 of their own before Gonzalez floated another one through the rim that put the Cagers up 25-22. Another 3 by Faith and the game was tied. Faith would stop the Cagers on the ensuing possession to take a 28-25 lead with just under two minutes to go. But the Cagers would execute two baseline out-of-bounds plays for buckets to retake the lead 29-28 heading into the 4th quarter.
The Blazers got things rolling in the 4th pumping in seven straight points to go up 35-29. However, Schroer again stepped up and answered that with 4 of his own to cut the lead to 35-33. Faith, as they had done all night, hit from downtown to stretch the lead to 5 points with just under two minutes to play. The Cagers raced into the forecourt and started to work the offense. DeRodes found a lane and was fouled. He made 1-2 from the stripe and the Cagers were down four. Faith would answer at the other end. The Cagers again flew up the court and started into their offense. All at once, Daylan Nussbaum drove to the hoop, let it fly and down through the hoop it went. He was fouled! He misfired on the free throw. The Cagers desperately needed a stop but could not get one as Faith scored to put the game out of reach as time ran out. If there is any good news out of a loss, Hamsher found it. “We started to execute and get open looks. More importantly, our team chemistry showed tonight. That will go a long way down the line for this team.”
For the game, Schroer had 21 points. DeRodes fired in 5. Gonzalez had 4. Campbell, Nussbaum, and Richardson all added a bucket each to round out the scoring column.
