The Lake Orion Baptist School Lions closed out their regular season play in the Fundamental Baptist Athletic Conference (FBAC) Tuesday, Feb. 23, as they hosted the Springfield Christian Eagles from Clarkston with a 62-33 victory, and a Conference record of seven wins and one loss. The Lions will have to share the championship with Bethany Christian, of Troy, as the two teams? only losses in the conference were with each other.
The Lions jumped out to an early lead, against the Eagles, 20-12, at the end of the first quarter. They led 43-15 at half time.
The bench did a good job wrapping up the fourth quarter. The Lions controlled the boards with forty-seven rebounds to twenty-seven, also with the steals twenty-three to eight.
The Eagles gave up 20 turnovers to the Lions 14.
Sophomore Brad Watterworth led all scorers with 13 points and 14 rebounds, for another double-double, with seven steals, six blocks and four assists. James Noruk had 10 points, two rebounds and three steals. Chris Hojnacki had ten points, nine rebounds, two steals and one assist.
Treavor Halleck had nine points, one rebound, five steals and three assists. Matt Cameron had nine points, 10rebounds, four steals and three assists. Conner Welby had three points, two rebounds, three steals and one assist. Evan Hojnacki had three points and one steal.
The Lions had a rematch with the Lake Crest Christian Defenders Friday, Feb. 26, in a non-conference game in preparation for their first playoff game in the Michigan Association of Christian Schools (MACS) Tournament.
The Lions got off to an excellent start, with the defenders leading at the end of one quarter, 18-5. The control continued by the Lions leading at half time, 28-11.
Ball control continued in the second half with the Lions controlling the boards with a final tally of thirty-seven to twenty-two rebounds. The defenders best scorer, Doug Franklin, was isolated by Cameron and Nathan Shefcyk, as they traded duties to keep the ball from his hands. Together they held him to 14 points through three quarters. He managed to score ten points in the fourth quarter as Coach Bullen brought in the bench, with the game well in hand.
Watterworth had anothe double-double with 18 points, 16 rebounds, seven steals (six blocks) and three assists. Halleck had 14 points, three rebounds, four steals and one assist. Hojnacki had 10 points, four rebounds, two steals and one assist. Cameron, who expended lots of energy guarding Franklin, still had seven points, seven rebounds one steal and one assist. Welby had two points, one rebound and two steals.
The Lions are 16-3 for the season and have won their last seven games in a row.
Doug Franklin led the Defenders with twenty-four points. The Defenders are twelve and ten for the season.
The team will be hosting conference-rival Bethany Christian Eaglesm, of Troy, in a matchup determined by a blind draw after the four seeded teams were placed. With the the Bethany team being seeded fifth, they were placed in the blind draw.
The draw determined that the Lions first opponent would be the Bethany Christian Bruins in the quarter final round.
The winner of that game will go to the semi-final game Friday, March 5, at Springfield Christian, in Clarkston.
The final game for the MACS for both the Girls’ and the Boys’ Division I and Division II will be held on Saturday, March 5 at Springfield Christian School in Clarkston, with games starting at 11 a.m.
~ Joe Bullen