4A # 1 Longmont Gets Past # 2 Holy Family

By Matt Langley

www.BasketballColorado.com

1/8/2015

Longmont, CO – The top ranked boys team in 4a the Longmont Trojans outlasted the #2 team the Holy Family Tigers in an Saturday afternoon  classic in front of a packed gym at Longmont High School 41-40.  It was evident that both teams had played games the night before with legs not having quite the same spring in them as they usually do.  What the game lacked in scoring it was made up with in intensity as every possession was precious and defense was tough. It has been said before and will be said again games like these come down to free throws and lay ups. True to form it would come down to those two things that would decide this game.

 It appeared the duel between club teammates was off to an early start when Longmont’s Justinian Jessup hit the first basket of the game over Holy Family’s junior guard Chris Helbig. In fact both of the highly rated juniors guarded each other for most of the game. Both teams played under control in the first period with neither team basically able to get an offensive rebound  but Longmont faired better ever so slightly in that department. Helbig was able to get free on a couple of occasions including at the buzzer to make a short corner jumper. While Jessup struggled a bit bit from the field three other Trojans were able to score in the quarter but still trailed 11-9.

In the second quarter the Trojans managed to score seven points against a stingy Tiger defense.  But the Trojans were doing there part on defense too, they only allowed two offensive rebounds in the entire quarter to the Tigers. Junior forward Kevin Mitchel was a beast on the boards of Longmont the entire game.  The Trojans  at 3 different stages of the quarter were poised  to either tie the game or take the lead if they had just made their free throws. The Tojans shot 1 of 6 from the line in the quarter.  Despite that the Trojans trailed by one point with less than a minute to go, Holy Family put the ball in the hands of their best player which resulted in this

Luke Golter’s basket  gave Holy Family a 19-16 lead at halftime

Longmont started the 3rd quarter in a 1-3-1 defenses that at first Holy Family seems just happy to pass the ball around eat up nearly a minute of game time until the Tigers Golter attacked baseline and was fouled on the shot. Golter made his two free throws to give Holy Family a 21-16 lead, the largest lead either team would have all game. After that though Holy Family struggled against the 1-3-1 zone by committing unforced turnovers while trying to throw over the top of the zone. Longmont went on a 8-2 run over the next two minutes of the game, the last basket by junior Kevin Mitchell gave them the lead 24-23 with 5:00 left in the quarter.  With Longmont leading 26-25 Holy Family was able to get a basket from Austin Brown and free throws from Golter to give the Tigers the lead 29-26.

Helbig’s basket at the buzzer gave the Tigers a 31-28 lead.

In the fourth quarter the Trojans rotated between the 1-3-1 and the man defense that had treated them so well in the third quarter. The Trojans used it to propel themselves on a 6-2 run over the first four minutes of the quarter to take a 36-33 led after a Blake O’Grady bucket. Missed free throws and layups were game altering for both teams in the final three minutes. Holy Family missed the front end of one and ones twice and shot a total of 2-6 from the line in the quarter. Longmont meanwhile shot 5 of 8 for the quarter but missed a crucial put back with a minute leftot give Holy Family hope.

After a time out Holy Family cuts the Longmont lead to 38-37 after the Golter steal and put back

Then after multiple foul calls Longmont misses the front end of two one opportunities. Holy Family   was could on the last one going for the rebound but they missed the front end of their one and one which set up this with O’Grady at the line.

Longmont lead 39-37 with Jessup going to the line with seven seconds left

Helbigs bank shot pulled the Tigers to 41-40 but only left .7 seconds left on the clock. Longmont inbound the ball and the horn sounded ending the preview of two teams that look to be well on their way to Boulder.

Double Digit Scorers

Holy Family

Helbig 15

Golter 13

Longmont

Jessup 11

O’Grady 10