strikes, as 2007-2009 team repeats as champs
Deja vu strikes, as 2007-2009 team repeats as champs
It was deja vu, as a heavy snowstorm again blanketed the area for the 38th annual Lake Holcombe Alumni Tournament Feb. 9. After taking care of teams on the previous day’s brackets, the 2007-2009 (Purple) team took on the 20182019 (White) classes in a battle for championship bragging rights.
The Purple team got the opening tip, but the White team struck first, in the form of a three from beyond the arc by Dillon Johnson. It took the Purple team almost two minutes of game clock to score, but that was their only drought in the four-quarter game.
A pass for White was thrown away by Josh Coyle and recovered by Kent Velie for a Purple lay-up at the other end. A few ticks of the clock later, Joey Lamoureux was fouled by Brady Webster while shooting a three. Lamoureux made two out of three of the free throws to extend the Purple’s lead.
Meanwhile, White’s shots wouldn’t fall and the Purple went up 11-3 at the end of the first quarter.
A soft lay-in from Webster got the White team on the board quickly to start the second quarter, but more free throws by Lamoureux put Purple up eight on the “youngsters.” Some tough defense kept White from any hard-hitting scoring and after Trent Novak missed a pair of free throws, the game got rough-andtumble.
The captains settled things down and got back to basics, as both sides showed off some athletic moves. A jumper by Purple’s Michael Mudgett put the team up 215. Novak answered with a long-range three.
An unselfish pass from Talon Yeager led to another three from Novak and the White team was back in the game, 2313, with just over two minutes to go in the first half. A turnaround lay-up by Luke Geist and a free throw by Novak put the White team within seven.
However, the Purple team wasn’t about to go down without a fight. A free throw by Anthony Dernovsek and a long three by Lamoureux, made the score 27-16 at the break.
White started off the second half with a three-pointer, which was answered by Purple with one of their own. A spontaneous three by Brandon Crank added to the Purple team’s score.
Not be outdone, Webster nailed a shot beyond the arc at the other end of the court. At that point, it was 40-22 in favor of Purple, with two minutes left in the third quarter.
Wyatt Viegut got the ball to Yeager under the basket and the third ended with Purple up 45-30.
The final quarter began with a pass from Geist to Novak for yet another tre, to cut the Purple team’s lead to 14. White looked to capitalize on a Purple turnover, but a travel called by the referee erased those hopes, as Mudgett proved deadly under the basket.
Purple went up 16, with less than four minutes to play in the game.
A steal from Viegut gave the White team hope, but those hopes were dashed, as Purple continued to score. White tried valiantly to come back from the deficit, but the clock was not on their side.
As time ran out, White conceded defeat and Purple walked away with a 54-37 championship victory, the second in a row for the 2007-2009 teammates.
Lamoureux led all players with 22, while Crank was next for the Purple team, with 15. Mudgett ended the night with 12, while Dernovsek added 3 and Velie chipped in with 2 points.
For the White team, Novak was in the lead with 11, followed closely by Webster with 10. Geist finished with 5 points, Yeager contributed 4 and Johnson scored 3. Viegut and Coyle both ended with 2 points.
