Bulldogs run with Wolves for first win of season, 80-64

A USA-365.com Special Report By Mark Smith
12-18-2006

Friday, 12-15-2006 at Crown Point, IN - Duneland Athletic Conference game

MICHIGAN CITY (64)  Stephen Ward 2-0-4, Demetrius Rooks 5-0-10, Bryron Lee 2-1-5, Alex Tomsheck 0-1-1, Clarence Milsap 3-5-11, Jarrod Jones 8-4-23, Darius McMillon 1-0-3, Jon Gailes 1-0-2, Darrin Nelson 1-1-3, Matt Hudson 1-0-2.  TOTALS:  25 (12-21, 57.2%) 64.

CROWN POINT (80)  Kyle Hanaway 2-10-14, Aleks Alavanja 1-4-6, Zach Cecich 9-3-21, Stephen Albrecht 11-3-28, Ben Derks 3-2-9, Mitch Robisnon 0-2-2, Billy Cox 0-0-0, Andre Krumwied 0-0-0, Michael Lipton 0-0-0, Derrick Garletts 0-0-0,  CJ Mantel 0-0-0.  TOTALS: 26 (24-29, 83.3%) 80.

FREE THROWS:  MC (12-21, 57.2%)   Lee 1-2, Nelson 1-1, Milsap 5-7, Jones 4-9, Tomsheck 1-2;  CP (24-29, 83.3%) Albrecht 3-3, Derks 2-2,  Hanaway 10-12, Alavanja 4-6, Robinson 2-2, Cecich 3-4.

REBOUNDS:  MC (18) Tomsheck 5, Jones 5, Rooks 3, Milsap 2, Lee 2, Ward;  CP (26) Cecich 9, Albrecht 6, Alavanja 5,  Robinson 3, Hanaway, Krumwied, Cox.

ASSISTS:  MC (10) Rooks 5, McMillon 2, Ward 2, Lee;  CP (15) Hanaway 13, Derks, Albrecht.

3-GOALS:  MC (2) Jarrod Jones 2; CP (4) Albrecht 3, Derks.

FOULED OUT:  Demetrius Rooks (MC) 4th Q - 3:47 left; Aleks Alavanja (CP) 4th Q - 5:50 left.

CROWN POINT, IN (12-15-2006) -  This winless thing for Crown Point basketball just couldn't go on much longer.  It was Ok to talk about the tough schedule and tough luck, but after a while, you've got to win a game. That's just all there is to it.

"It's about time, wasn't it?" said new CP coach Clint Swan after his Bulldogs had broken open a close game in the fourth quarter to beat Michigan City 80-64.

"We just needed a win for the kids," he continued.  "We played very well at Valparaiso (12-12-2006).  I know that everybody looks at the score (74-50) and says you didn't play well.  But we played very, very well.  Tonight, I was just so proud of everybody."

It was a good night to be a Bulldog.  Michigan City is a fast break, run-and-press team and that's what Crown Point likes as well.  An entertaining game saw Stephan Albrecht score 25, Zac Cecich scored 21 and Kyle Hanaway posted a career-best 13 assists as the Bulldogs recorded their first win in five tries.

Crown Point (1-4, 1-2 DAC) handled Michigan City's Jarrod Jones (21 ppg.).  They handled MC's speed and they handled the real life possibility that the regular season could be a lost cause.  Crown Point has some back-to-back games coming up that are intimidating.  The Bulldogs needed to start beating quality teams and they did.

"We've played well in other games this year," said Swan, who had never been 0-4 in his coaching career.  "This time we just put it all together."

The Wolves, who were coming off a two-point win over Merrillville, led throughout the first quarter as the 6-foot-7 Jones, clearly a major college prospect, stepped out of the post and hit two three-point shots.

Crown Point was sparked by the play of junior point guard Kyle Hanaway, who split the defense of the speedy Wolves for quick passes and scores.  Stephen Albrecht scored four second quarter baskets and had 13 first half points.

In the third quarter Cecich, a football tight end at 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, grabbed five rebounds and scored five baskets as the 6-foot-7 Jones and 6-foot-4 Clarence Milsap could not stop him after 6-foot-6 Alex Tomsheck picked up two quick fouls and had to sit down.  Hanaway was very strong with the ball.  The Bulldogs had 16 turnovers, but Hanaway had 13 assists and sank 10 of 12 from the foul line as CP pulled away in front of about 800-1,000 fans.

At the start of the summer, Swan chose Hanaway as his point guard from among juniors Hanaway, Ben Derks and Stephen Albrecht, all of whom were capable.

"I like Kyle's physicalness," Swan explained, "and I liked Ben's shooting ability.  I wanted Benny to get away from the ball so he can get open.  I liked the way he played tonight, but wasn't Hanaway something?"

Cecich has been a revelation.  He now averages 16 points a game and he's doing it against teams with players that are much bigger than he is.

"They are much taller," corrects Swan.  "I don't know if a lot of players are bigger than Zach.  Zach uses his body well, but he also uses other people's momentum against themselves.  He gets them leaning one way and then he goes another.  I was really proud of him tonight."

It was 57-54 when a layup by Cecich gave CP a five-point lead with 5:51 to go in the game.  Albrecht then drove the length of the floor for a three-point play and a 62-54 advantage.  The Wolves (3-3) threw up a couple of bad shots and when Albrecht hit a three-pointer off the left wing it was 66-54 with 3:11 left and MC was fading.  The Bulldogs took a few too many three-pointers in the fourth quarter, but they sank them and the final score was not indicative of how close the game was.

The most telling statistic, other than just 16 turnovers against MC's speed, was 24 of 29 foul shooting for Crown Point.  The Bulldogs sank just 27 of 46 free shots in their first four games.

Crown Point desperately needed this win.  Now, the season can be turned around by New Year's Day.  CP has Griffith (0-3) and Portage (2-5) before a Dec. 29 home game with arch-rival Merrillville.  True, CP hasn't beaten Merrillville in almost nine years.  But nothing seems impossible on the night you get that first victory.  Clint Swan knows.

"We just needed a win," he said.

CP NOTES:  CP backup center and all-state football lineman Andy Krumwied is going into the Army.  He has been accepted at West Point and will be a football player for the Black Knights.

"I've always been interested in it," he said after the game.  "When I was a sophomore, my dad took a business trip out to Baltimore and I saw the Naval Academy.  He said that I should check all the academies out and see what I think."

"In the process of sending out films (football highlights) my junior and senior year, I said I might as well send one to them.  They thought enough of it to offer me a spot on the team."

This college commitment also means a stint in the military and that could mean Krumwied could be sent overseas in four years.

"It's in the back of your mind," he says.  "I could be in Korea in four years.  I don't know.  But it's something where I always thought I could handle the challenge.  If I have to go, I'm looking forward to getting the chance to serve my country."