Younger classes repeat title run over last year’s rivals

The Classes of 2019-21 walked away with the Lake Holcombe School Alumni Tournament championship, Feb. 9, defeating the 2000-16 team. Making up the winning team, left to right, in front, are Luke Geist, Tyler Dixon, Brock Flater, Kaden Kinney, Kaden Crank and Brandon Nitek. Not shown, is Talon Yeager. Photo by Ginna Young

By Ginna Young

The players were pumped, the crowd was ready and the game was on, Feb. 9, for the Lake Holcombe alumni basketball championship. In a rematch from last year, the Classes of 2019-21 (White Team) hoped to repeat against their Classes of 2000-16 opponents (Purple Team), and judging by the start of the match, it looked as if they would do just that.

Racing out to the front, Kaden Kinney knocked down a three-pointer for White, but Purple shouldn’t have been overestimated, as they answered on the other end with a basket. Showing Purple they weren’t threatened, White headed back up the court, on a beautiful set-up from Tyler Dixon to Luke Geist, who missed the lay-up.

It didn’t matter, as White quickly got the ball back and Kaden Crank drained a three, to go up 6-2 over Purple. Geist then picked the pocket of big man Michael Mudgett and the ball went back to White’s end.

After a little back-and-forth, Travis Cynor cut White’s lead to four, after making one of two free throws. A few plays later, Cynor went under the basket for a shot, making it and putting Purple within two points.

However, Dixon was left open under his basket and made them pay, but Anthony Dernovsek answered back on Purple’s end, with a two-pointer. A shot missed on the other end, that Mudgett rebounded, but he missed a three-pointer, as time ran out in the first quarter, with the score 13-9, in favor of White.

White began the second quarter with the ball, but quickly turned it over and for a time, neither team could get their shots to fall. Finally, Mudgett was fouled and sank his free throws, and White’s lead was down to two.

On the other end, Mudgett nudged Dixon out of bounds to grab the board and sent it down court to Cynor, who shot a jumper in the lane, to tie the game, 13-13. White wasn’t going to let Purple take the lead without a fight and from the middle of the arc, Crank knocked down a three.

His brother, Brandon Crank, tried a three of his own for Purple, but it was no good and Brock Flater capitalized on that for White, sending up a floater to extend the lead to five over Purple. After a couple of missed baskets, back on the other end, Aaron Johnson hit a basket to narrow the gap to three for the Purple.

The next trip down the court, Johnson tried the same spot, with no luck, but Dernovsek was there to follow up, making it a one-point game. Flater raced to the other end, to lay in the ball one-handed, but Purple weren’t done trying to cut into the lead. Mudgett got the ball to Johnson, who missed under the basket, but Kent Velie was there to put it in and Purple was within one point.

White would not be denied and K. Crank knocked down a three on his end, then promptly stole the ball, passing it to a wide open Flater, who made an easy lay-up.

From then on, for the rest of the second quarter, there were some miscues on both sides, as fatigue set in, after a long weekend of games. After a scoring drought on both sides, B. Crank attempted a shot from beyond the arc, but it missed, with Dernovsek there to put it in for Purple, just before halftime.

Purple came out of the break on a tear, but White shut that down in a hurry, stealing the ball and getting it to Flater, from a stellar pass from Geist. Shots wouldn’t drop in for Purple and they started fouling, giving White opportunities at the line to go up by seven.

B. Crank quickly wiped out that lead, draining a threepointer, with five minutes left in the third quarter. For a while, it seemed neither team would score again, but at long last, Dixon made a lay-up and Kinney pulled up for a flawless three-point shot, to go up by 11.

On the other end, Mudgett hit a far jumper, but Purple was still down. Talon Yeager then got in on the action for White, trying a long shot that didn’t fall, which gave Purple a chance to cut into the lead before time expired in the third quarter. The shots wouldn’t fall and White held on to a 39-29 lead, with one more period left to play.

Yeager redeemed himself by nailing a three shortly into the fourth quarter and from then on, everything seemed to go White’s way, until Purple made a basket and B. Crank got fouled on a lay-up that went in the basket. He shot a free throw for an old-fashioned three-point play and suddenly, the lead was down to five.

K. Crank went back to his own side of the court and nailed a three, but Cynor made one of his own. K. Crank knew he had to make a statement and connected on another three, with just 2:07 left in the game and White up by nine.

Desperation set in for Purple and they began fouling, hoping shots wouldn’t fall at the line for White. The strategy worked and Purple got the rebounds, scoring on the other end. A turn-around jumper by Sha Colbenson cut the lead to five and Purple had a chance, especially after Cynor sank a free throw to further cut the lead to four.

Mudgett then hit a long-range three and suddenly, Purple was only one point away from tying the game, with less than a minute to go. The game came down to free throws and with 11:4 left in the match, Purple was down by two and Mudgett made one of two from the line.

In the intense quiet, one could hear a pin drop and in a split second, White nabbed the rebound and the hard fouls began, with mad scrambling for the ball. With just .07 left on the clock, Purple had the ball, with enough time to tie it up on a hail Mary.

Mudgett was given the ball, he lobbed it up and it was no good, with White hanging on to claim bragging rights and a 53-50 victory.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="369"] Andy (center) and Amy Lorenzen (right) were presented with the Lloyd McEathron Fan Appreciation Award, Feb. 9, by Brandon Crank, during the annual Lake Holcombe School Alumni Basketball Tournament. The award is given each year, to those who support the school’s youth athletics and the Lorenzens are always active with anything that’s going on. “We don’t expect to be recognized for involvement in Lake Holcombe athletics, but grateful that our time hasn’t gone unnoticed,” said A. Lorenzen. “We enjoy supporting our athletes, whether it’s reffing, coaching, working the events or just being fans.” Photo by Ginna Young[/caption]   [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="369"] Falling short of the championship crown during the alumni tournament, were the Classes of 2000-16. Receiving runner-up honors, left to right, in front, are Sha Colbenson and Aaron Johnson. In back, are Travis Cynor, Mike Johnson, Kent Velie, Brandon Crank, Michael Mudgett and Anthony Dernovsek. Photo by Ginna Young[/caption]