by Ed Shepherd
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

Styling in every way one can in a basketball game, the Seattle Lutheran Saints' junior, captain, 6-2 guard, Xavier Turner, put up 29 points to lead his team to a 68-49 win over the visiting Tacoma Baptist Crusaders on Monday.

The Saints improved to 5-2 this season, with still having a first league game to be played, with that action starting at home against visiting Shoreline Christian on Jan. 3.

"Xavier played really well," said Saints' coach, Brett Kapels. "And, the boys played really well together. Defense is improving."

They did play well together, as a team, defense was strong, especially, the second quarter, but, make no mistake, leading the team, was Turner. He passed the ball for,at least, a half-dozen assists, to go with all his points, and, another six, or, so, rebounds, and, another 5-6 steals, to boot. And, to highlight just how much this game was, almost, all Turner, scoring with the basketball on a variety of lay-ups, jumpers, and, rebound-scores, and, steal-scores, too, get this. Of the 31 points the Saints scored in the first half, Turner scored 22 of those points, including 14 in the first quarter.

"Coach called my number a couple times," said Turner, but, added, "My teammates got me the ball for good looks. Also, I scored some points off rebounds and steals."

So, that explains what was aforementioned, in easy, reiteration, from Turner.

This game can be explained very quickly, really: all Saints, all game long. OK, not completely true, the Crusaders can be given some credit for keeping it a close game, in the first quarter, it was 19-15, after the first frame. But, from there, the Saints just kept on building and building that lead, to 31-17 at the half. And, then, in the third quarter, thanks to some new scoring, in addition to Turner, by the likes of another captain, a 6-4 sophomore, Josh Meyer, with a good bucket or two inside, including the basket that made it 42-20, Saints, with 2:35 left in the third quarter , the Saints led 49-35 at the end of the third quarter. Meyer finished second on the Saints scoring in this game, with 20 points, including two in the first quarter, three in the second, and, six in the third, and, nine in the fourth.

It was a solid all-around effort, defensively, too, not just Turner, although his athleticism showed on the court, with leaping and quick hands leading to many turnovers by the foe. But, give that 'hounding' credit to a whole lot of players, including, Meyer, Hermon Ruson, Brandon Ludlow, Isaiaih Dowding-Albrecht, and, Kapels' favorite, so to speak, Roberto Duanez.

"Tacoma Baptist's Dayton Pascua is a good player," said Kapels, of the Crusaders' shifty, quick, point guard, who led that team's scorers, with 30 points. "I thought Roberto did a good job defending him."
The scores by quarter, really, show that the Saints' team defense did a number on the Crusaders, who only scored two points the entire second quarter, getting outscored by the Saints, 15-2, in that frame. That was a convincingly killer quarter for them, and, a game-changer just as much so, defensively, as, Turner was changing the game, offensively, for the Saints.

The fourth quarter, really, had nothing more to say to it, just a Saints' team continuing to pressure well, score points, with the only little bit of excitement a time, late in the fourth, of opportunity for growth. A couple players, with one Meyer, and, the other, Turner, the team's two captains, came together to talk after Turner got fouled by a Crusader on a play. Turner was cornered in the corner of the court, by a trapping defense of two players by the Crusaders. And, he was able to free himself by his smooth dribbling, that was demonstrated all game long, but Turner was fouled.

And, the referee called the play well, foul, sending Turner to free throw line. But, prior to going to the stripe, Turner was with a look of disgust as he bounced around a little after the foul, noticably upset. That's when his teammate, Meyer, came over and didn't say much, maybe, a 'Hey, hey,' and, something else quickly. But, point is, Meyer was there to help his teammate settle. And, keep in mind, this little incident happened with a couple minutes left in the game, the Saints ahead by 20 points, and, this, just, was garbage time.
"It was frustration, and, I didn't handle it very well," said Turner. "They got in my head, talking. They knew I was susceptible to that kind of stuff."
Meyer?

"Yeah, he's always there," said Turner. "Got my back."
So, on toward the season for the Saints, who will try to advance past making it to the district tournament last season, and, being a team who graduated six seniors. But they did gain, at least, one, real good one, in Turner, transferring to the West Seattle, private, Christian school this year, as a junior.
"The goal is to be ready by league," said Kapels, whose team has an alumni game on Dec. 26, with just resting and some practicing, then, before the division action commences, starting in January.