FEDERAL WAY - Evergreen Lutheran head coach Dave Linder briefly discussed the definitive aspects of the boys basketball 68-55 SeaTac 1B League basketball loss at Christian Faith on Friday, Dec.14, on the basketball court of the EX-3 Ron Sandwith Teen Center.
"It was the end of the third quarter," he said. "Christian Faith is a good team and we couldn't stop No. 4 (point guard Afari Richardson). Then Vick Toor joined in. Every time we needed to make a play, we turned it over. The boys fought hard, but fell a little short."
In a matchup of teams featuring Eagles as their mascot, the breakaway sequence was preceded by four ties -- the last at 41-41 with just more than three minutes left in the third quarter - following a 30-27 CF halftime edge.
Isaiah Bergemann of the Des Moines-based Eagles drained an outside 10-foot jump shot for the final deadlock, but a Christian faith steal led to a layup by C.J. Cabiles. Cabiles followed up with a lay in that Karl Leitzke countered on a put back basket to draw EL within 45-43 with 1:15 showing.
It was Richardson for a 3-pointer and Toor with an inside basket who pumped up the CF lead to 50-43 going into the final quarter.
Early in the fourth quarter, Leitzke powered home an offensive rebound basket that had Evergreen Lutheran close at 51-47 only to watch the Federal Way-based Eagles fly off to seven consecutive points en route to a 58-47 command.
With just less than two minutes remaining two consecutive EL baskets propagated by tough defense eased the Des Moines squad within 62-55. Christian Faith then spread the court to open up the inside for easy shots on the way to the largest lead of the game at the finale.
First quarter action produced a frantic pace as Christian Faith started a shattering sequence that turned a 2-0 deficit into a 10-2 lead. Jeffrey Parker ignited Evergreen Lutheran with a 3-pointer. Leitzke followed his own missed free throw for a rebound basket that capped an EL 10-0 run for a 12-10 Des Moines lead en route to a 15-15 draw after one quarter.
Trailing 17-15, Christian Faith pushed up the pace for seven consecutive points and a 22-17 control. Evergreen Lutheran stayed within close range to trail 30-27 at the half.
Leitzke played a strong game with tough rebounding action for 18 points. Parker was effective with outside shots and quick drives in a 16 point performance. Ryan Gonzalez completed the double-figures scoring trio with 11 points.
For Christian Faith, Richardson athletically maneuvered for 24 points coming from all angles. Toor scored 17 and Cabiles had 14.
Evergreen Lutheran stands at 1-2 league and 2-2 overall. Christian Faith moves to 5-0 and 5-1. The Evergreen Lutheran Eagles are scheduled for a Dec.15th game at Quilcene and an away game on Dec. 17 at Rainier Christian before playing a 9 a.m. game against Bear Creek at the Showare Center in Kent on Dec. 22.
