Roadrunners Change Defense, Beat Woodcrest

By Daniel Giang

Special to Loma Linda Patch

Back on Jan. 11 in Loma Linda, the Roadrunners and Woodcrest Christian each came out with full-court pressure and the game went from end to end. The Warriors won that game 63-59 as Luke Cunningham scored 21 points and the team shot 12-for-16 from the free throw line. 

For this game, Coach Claridge downshifted the strategy to contain Cunningham by sitting in a 2-3 zone and denying the ball to Cunningham at the high post. Woodcrest also opted not to pressure and the difference in tempo made it seem like a completely different sport of half-court basketball.

Chris Lawrence scored twice from the inside to open the game and Justin Im hit two jumpers, but each time LLA pulled ahead by a basket, Woodcrest would tie in again on the next possession. Santhush Weerasinghe broke a 12-12 tie with a swish from downtown to give LLA a three-point lead after one quarter.

Weerasinghe had another 3-pointer and a field goal and Tim Giang had three drives from the left side of the lane to open a 32-25 halftime lead, but LLA's Chris Lawrence picked up his third personal foul forcing him to sit out much of the period. Woodcrest switched defensive assignments placing league leading scorer Kendell Schmidt on Giang to cut down on the penetrations, but this forced Schmidt to work hard on defense the rest of the game. 

Woodcrest gradually increased the pressure through the second half, but Dakota Jordan and Weerasinghe each hit from behind the arc to keep LLA ahead at the end of three quarters, 45-36. Stewart picked up his fourth personal foul placing both of the Roadrunner post players in danger and leaving the door open for Cunningham to have a big finish. As in the previous game, Schmidt (who averages 27 points per game) only had 10 points in the game up to that point.

In the final period, Woodcrest relentlessly pressed and trapped. They succeeded in causing a few turnovers and narrowing the lead as Schmidt exploded for 10 points, but Thomson managed to get several outlet passes to Lawrence resulting in two baskets and one free throw.

With slightly over one minute remaining, Woodcrest closed to a score of 56-51. With the Warriors bringing the ball across half court threatening to make it a one possession game, Giang poked the ball out and got a lead pass off to Im who laid it in to increase the Roadrunner margin to 58-51. Thomson finished off the scoring with a breakaway lay up and four free throws.

The seniors had a good night with Giang finishing with 13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 steals and a block. Weeresinghe, coming off the bench, had 12 points including 3 from downtown. Juniors Lawrence (11 points and 9 rebounds) and Thomson (8 points, 7 boards and 4 assists) both seemed to be everywhere on the court. The sophomore class was also represented with Im finishing with 10 points and 5 boards while Jordan and Keith Stewart each had 5 points. The Warriors were led by Schmidt with 20 points and Cunningham with 12. Giang and Schmidt played the entire 32 minutes for their respective squads. 

The win maintains LLA's grasp on the final playoff berth with a record of 15-7, 7-5. Had Woodcrest won, the Warriors would be going to the playoffs. LLA plays ACA and Linfield next week. If LLA wins both games and if Western Christian loses to both Aquinas tonight and to Ontario Christian a week from now, LLA could sneak into third place in the Ambassador League. Not bad for a team stocked with over-achieving underclassmen.