Tuesday, November 20, 2007
CMA gets off to bumpy start against Mishawaka
By James Costello
Sports Writer
CULVER — Visiting Mishawaka cranked up the tempo, and Culver Military was unprepared to match the pace in its season opener Monday.
The Eagles fell behind by 16 points in the first quarter, and while the Cavemen maintained their intensity, CMA’s players became increasingly flustered. The Eagles fell 65-29 in the final tally.
“They’re quickness and just overall athleticism bothered us,” said CMA basketball head coach Alan Huss. “We haven’t simulated that pace in practice, so I think we were lulled into thinking we could guard against other guys.
“They sped us up, and we lost our composure and it just wasn’t very good.”
The Eagles won the tip-off, but Mishawaka forced three consecutive
turnovers, and the Cavemen opened the game with an 8-0 run. Culver
scored five unanswered points, but Mishawaka turned the remainder of the
frame into an exhibition, executing a 15-2 run courtesy of ball control
problems by the home team that resulted in several steals and an endless
series of Cavemen fast-break mismatches. In all, CMA turned the ball
over a dismal 28 times Monday night.
“I credit their pressure with a lot of them, but the other half was just careless turnovers,” said Huss. “It’s disappointing because other than the man-to-man they showed after they got their lead, they didn’t surprise us with anything.”
“We have some quickness, and we’re hoping to use that quickness to get out the pressure on defense,” said Mishawaka head coach Robb Berger. “I think we did that well tonight, both on pressuring the dribbler and closing down the pass.”
CMA succumbed to Mishawaka’s speed and agility on the other side of the ball as well. Eagles defenders routinely fell a step behind their marks, and the fouls piled up quickly as CMA players fell out of defensive position and reached out to hold the Cavemen back.
All total, the Eagles recorded 17 fouls at the game, and both starting guard Thomas Wilson and starting center Trevor Weaser got in early foul trouble and had to be benched in the first half. The effect was disastrous for a CMA squad already struggling with depth issues as two players — one injured and one suspended — had to sit out the game Monday. Other than a 3-point basket by Pete O’Daniel in the final minutes of the game, the Eagles had no points off the bench, compared to 26 points scored by Cavemen reserves.
And all those fouls put Mishawaka in the bonus early in both halves, a fact it capitalized on with relentless efficiency, sinking 12 of 17 free throws at the game.
One of the few bright spots for Culver was provided by senior shooting guard Matt Marrs, who was 4-of-7 from the field, including a 2-for-2 performance from behind the arc for a team-leading 10 points. He also grabbed four boards to lead his team in rebounding with Weaser, and he snatched two steals on defense.
“Marrs has just got to get a little bit physically tougher, probably,” said Huss. “I’m probably going to push him to get more aggressive on offense. And we’ve got to do a better job of getting him the ball. We’ve got to get him more than seven looks — he’s the one guy we’ve got who can shoot a jumper.”
The Eagles finished with just 12 baskets in 29 attempts, while Mishawaka was nearly 50 percent from the field converting on 26 of its 53 total shots. CMA is now 0-1, while Mishawaka is 1-0 with the victory.
Still, it’s a long season. Huss has plenty of time to take his team back to the drawing board to get his players ready for their game against LaVille next Friday.
“I take the blame for not having the guys ready,” said Huss after Monday’s game. “It’s my job to get them ready, and we’ll be better prepared next time around.”
• MISHAWAKA 65, CULVER MILITARY 29
At Culver
MISHAWAKA (65): Javonte Young 4 0-1 8, Cortez Lee 1 0-0 2, Steven Heatherly 3 2-2 8, Matt Layman 6 0-0 12, Ryan Warmoth 1 0-0 2, Marc Heatherly 5 1-2 11, Marcus Winphrie 1 6-8 8, Ryan Benner 1 0-1 2, Nick Banke 0 2-2 2, Adam Wojtysiak 4 1-1 10. TOTALS: 26 12-17 65.
CMA (29): Trent Sanders 0 0-0 0, Thomas Wilson 1 1-2 3, Matt Marrs 4 0-0 10, Ramsey Bradke 0 0-0 0, Conrad Chura 3 0-2 4, Carl Rivera 2 0-2 4, Pete O’Daniel 1 0-0 3, Trace Thews 0 0-0 0, Jeff Mattson 0 0-0 0, Trevor Weaser 1 0-4 2, Luke Schumacher 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 12 1-10 29.
Score by quarters
Mishawaka 23 36 48 65
CMA 7 15 19 29
3-pt goals: Mishawaka 1 (Wojtysiak), CMA 4 (Marrs 2, Chura, O’Daniel). Fouls (fouled out): Mishawaka 10 (none), CMA 17 (none). Technicals: CMA 1 (Wilson). Free throws: Mishawaka 71 percent (12-17), CMA 10 percent (1-10). JV score: Mishawaka 28 (P.J. Warmoth 6, Arniel Squibb 6), CMA 26 (Jeff Mattson 8). Records: CMA 0-1, Mishawaka 1-0.
“I credit their pressure with a lot of them, but the other half was just careless turnovers,” said Huss. “It’s disappointing because other than the man-to-man they showed after they got their lead, they didn’t surprise us with anything.”
“We have some quickness, and we’re hoping to use that quickness to get out the pressure on defense,” said Mishawaka head coach Robb Berger. “I think we did that well tonight, both on pressuring the dribbler and closing down the pass.”
CMA succumbed to Mishawaka’s speed and agility on the other side of the ball as well. Eagles defenders routinely fell a step behind their marks, and the fouls piled up quickly as CMA players fell out of defensive position and reached out to hold the Cavemen back.
All total, the Eagles recorded 17 fouls at the game, and both starting guard Thomas Wilson and starting center Trevor Weaser got in early foul trouble and had to be benched in the first half. The effect was disastrous for a CMA squad already struggling with depth issues as two players — one injured and one suspended — had to sit out the game Monday. Other than a 3-point basket by Pete O’Daniel in the final minutes of the game, the Eagles had no points off the bench, compared to 26 points scored by Cavemen reserves.
And all those fouls put Mishawaka in the bonus early in both halves, a fact it capitalized on with relentless efficiency, sinking 12 of 17 free throws at the game.
One of the few bright spots for Culver was provided by senior shooting guard Matt Marrs, who was 4-of-7 from the field, including a 2-for-2 performance from behind the arc for a team-leading 10 points. He also grabbed four boards to lead his team in rebounding with Weaser, and he snatched two steals on defense.
“Marrs has just got to get a little bit physically tougher, probably,” said Huss. “I’m probably going to push him to get more aggressive on offense. And we’ve got to do a better job of getting him the ball. We’ve got to get him more than seven looks — he’s the one guy we’ve got who can shoot a jumper.”
The Eagles finished with just 12 baskets in 29 attempts, while Mishawaka was nearly 50 percent from the field converting on 26 of its 53 total shots. CMA is now 0-1, while Mishawaka is 1-0 with the victory.
Still, it’s a long season. Huss has plenty of time to take his team back to the drawing board to get his players ready for their game against LaVille next Friday.
“I take the blame for not having the guys ready,” said Huss after Monday’s game. “It’s my job to get them ready, and we’ll be better prepared next time around.”
• MISHAWAKA 65, CULVER MILITARY 29
At Culver
MISHAWAKA (65): Javonte Young 4 0-1 8, Cortez Lee 1 0-0 2, Steven Heatherly 3 2-2 8, Matt Layman 6 0-0 12, Ryan Warmoth 1 0-0 2, Marc Heatherly 5 1-2 11, Marcus Winphrie 1 6-8 8, Ryan Benner 1 0-1 2, Nick Banke 0 2-2 2, Adam Wojtysiak 4 1-1 10. TOTALS: 26 12-17 65.
CMA (29): Trent Sanders 0 0-0 0, Thomas Wilson 1 1-2 3, Matt Marrs 4 0-0 10, Ramsey Bradke 0 0-0 0, Conrad Chura 3 0-2 4, Carl Rivera 2 0-2 4, Pete O’Daniel 1 0-0 3, Trace Thews 0 0-0 0, Jeff Mattson 0 0-0 0, Trevor Weaser 1 0-4 2, Luke Schumacher 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 12 1-10 29.
Score by quarters
Mishawaka 23 36 48 65
CMA 7 15 19 29
3-pt goals: Mishawaka 1 (Wojtysiak), CMA 4 (Marrs 2, Chura, O’Daniel). Fouls (fouled out): Mishawaka 10 (none), CMA 17 (none). Technicals: CMA 1 (Wilson). Free throws: Mishawaka 71 percent (12-17), CMA 10 percent (1-10). JV score: Mishawaka 28 (P.J. Warmoth 6, Arniel Squibb 6), CMA 26 (Jeff Mattson 8). Records: CMA 0-1, Mishawaka 1-0.