A 3 pointer by the Colchester Hornets took this weekends game into overtime after the Crusaders had battled back from being ten points down in the final quarter. Foul trouble and exhaustion took their toll and Kent fell 3 points short of their opponents in overtime. The Hornets have struggled this season but much like the Crusaders are better than their record suggests, and they’re still battling for a playoff spot.

The game started brightly for the Kent side with Danish star Soren Sorenson hitting from long range and smashing through the Hornets who struggled to cope with his strength. His intensity rubbed off on his team mates and fast ball movement and aggressive defence saw the Crusaders get out to an early 12 point lead. On their way to an 18-9 lead Sorensen, Mitchell and Harris added three pointers while Colchester had rouble with the aggressive Crusaders defence.

The turnovers started to pile up for Crusaders, but through their defensive work they were still able to take a 31-19 lead into the second quarter.

In the second quarter Crusaders quickly extended the lead to 38-21 through good team offence, but again the turnovers spoiled the party. Again and again the Crusaders over-penetrated and threw the ball away, and again and again Colchester took advantage. Colchester got within nine, 38-29 before Crusaders scored again. The bleeding didn’t stop there, though. Colchester’s Joe Matthews, the player of the game, kept finding open teammates as Colchester pulled it to seven, 42-35.

After that 14-4 run Colchester seemed to run out of steam a little, and Crusaders were able to finish the half well and go to halftime up ten, 51-41. It was just the calm before the storm, though, as Colchester opened up the second half with 18 points in less than four minutes and took the lead 59-55. Crusaders were again victims of their own poor play as turnovers again were the cause of their downfall.

After a Crusaders time-out things settled a little bit and for the rest of the quarter the lead changed four times, with Colchester in the lead 70-69 before the last quarter.

Colchester opened up strong and took a ten point lead as Crusaders seemed struck by nerves and couldn’t hit the basket. Coach Olesen took a time-out to settle the players: “I just told them that they had to shoot their shots with confidence. With four minutes left, down ten there was no sense in being timid, we’d just have to shoot to win – and we came out and did just that”.

A three pointer by Mitchell was the first clue that Crusaders might come back in the game. Then Sorensen hit a layup, followed by Harris and Betts three pointers to get bring the score within one, 81-80, Colchester. Colchester managed a basket, but Dimandja hit two from the line and Harris brought Crusaders the lead with a three pointer, 85-83.

Colchester’s Matthews forced himself to the free throw line after a foul and hit two to tie the game but Dimandja hit a layup to give Crusaders back the lead. Matthews found Ward open under the basket, but he missed as he was fouled, and only hit one from the line. Now within the last twenty seconds Crusaders set up offence, and Colchester fouled Simon Mitchell and put him on the line with seven seconds left. Mitchell hit both shots and up three the victory seemed certain for Crusaders.

Matthews charged up the court, though, and as the Crusaders zeroed in on him he found Dockrell in the corner for an open three pointer that dropped with two seconds left. Crusaders took a time out and set up a play, but Harris’ three-pointer fell short.

In overtime Crusaders opened up the scoring with a Betts three pointer, but Matthews found Ward open in the lane again, before Matthews got to the foul-line and made two shots. Crusaders captain Pete Ayling took the lead back, 94-93.

Mathews stepped up again, though, and got to the foul-line before feeding Wookey for a layup, bringing Colchester up 97-94. Sorensen answered for Crusaders to get them within one, but Matthews scored again, now within the last minute. This time it was Harris, who got Crusaders another chance with a layup, and on the ensuing possession he appeared to get a steal, but he never quite managed to get possession and the ball spilled out over the sideline.

With only a few seconds left Crusaders now had to foul Matthews who calmly made his 27th and 28th point from the line. Crusaders were unable to get an open three pointer and a last second heave didn’t find the rim, securing a Colchester victory.

Next game:

Saturday March 21: Crusaders are playing Northampton Neptunes in Canterbury at Body & Mind at 7.30

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 12th, 2009 at 9:36 pm and is filed under Game Reports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.