Friday the Knights travelled to Turpin, where the gym’s thermostat is locked in at 85 degrees, the water is $2 a bottle…  and the game promises plenty of heat. 

Both teams are laden with seniors who know each others’ games intimately, having battled for FAVC Cardinal supremacy since the 7th grade.  Now a young Wilmington squad threatens to upset the balance of power in the league, but the Knights and Spartans have sustained a rivalry that promises each game will be special.  This one lived up to expectations.

Derrick Harris opened the game with a steal and a layup.  And the Knights, playing confidently, opened a 17 to 8 lead at the end of the first quarter on the strength of a balanced scoring attack.

GAME STATS | STANDINGS

The second quarter showed even more promise, as the Knights opened up a surprising 23 to 8 lead after 3 pointers by Harris and Matt Stevens.   After this however, the game started to slow down, which favored the bigger Spartans.  And when the Knights were called for a technical foul with about 4 minutes left, it felt like the game had taken a rougher turn. 

Then with 2:35 left in the half and the Knights up 25 to 12, it became the Andy Cruse Show.  The Spartans 6-4 forward, who will play wide receiver for the Miami Redhawks next fall, went on a one-man tear, scoring the next 8 points for the Spartans, including a 2 with one second left in the half that cut the Knights lead to 30-22.

After a quick bucket by the Spartans to cut the lead to 6 as the second half began, the Knights began to extend their lead.  And when Matt Stevens hit a 3 pointer to take a 44-29 lead that held up at the end of the 3rd quarter, it seemed like the promise of a close game would not come to fruition.

But this was Kings-Turpin, at Turpin.  A blowout was not to be.  The Spartans began to find their stroke - in the fourth quarter the they would shoot 8 of 12 from the field, including 4 of 5 threes.  With the score 47 to 34 and 6:40 left in the game, the Knights called time and the game still seemed well in hand.  But then the Knights went cold, the Spartans rattled off 7 straight points, and with 4 minutes left it was a 6 point game with Danny Hagee facing two important free throws.  He drained them both, the lead was back to 8, and Knights fans were hoping the storm had been weathered.   It had just started. 

The Spartans went into a full court zone press.  The Knights, whose press break offense has been a source of pride and points, struggled to get the ball past half court - they would eventually turn the ball over 5 times in the quarter.   The Spartans chipped at the lead, finally getting it down to 3 with 3 minutes to go. 

 Both teams chose this point to show what they’re capable of on offense: the Knights used up the next 60 seconds on a beautiful possession that featured 35 lightning-quick passes and just 5 dribbles, culminating in a foul that resulted in 1 of 2 free throws for Mark Byrd.  But then the Spartans responded with a quick three on a nifty bit of two man inside-outside play with 1:15 left, and the Knights lead was down to 52-51. 

The final minute was dominated by the defenses of both teams; neither team was able to score until finally, with 3.2 seconds left, the Spartans were forced to foul Aaron Gayhart - probably not their first choice - who calmly knocked down both free throws to put the game out of reach, 55-51.

The Knights were led by Gayhart, whose 14 points included a perfect 4-4 from the field and 6 of 8 from the line.  But the Knights’ scoring was balanced as usual:  Derrick Harris contributed 13 points, Mark Byrd 12, and Matt Stevens 11.  Byrd also contributed 5 rebounds and 4 assists.

 Key stat:  Andy Cruse wound up with 24 of Turpin’s 51 points.

Next the Knights will travel to West Carrollton to back up a humiliating 86-34 drubbing they laid on the Pirates last year at The Mill.   This game will be tougher; the Pirates are 12-2, playing at home, and coming off a tough overtime loss to a strong Oakwood team. 

Let’s head up I-75 and back the Knights!!

GO KNIGHTS!!