CROWN POINT, IN (12-17-2004) - You don't see games turn around at halftime like this very often.

Crown Point led 9-0, 14-3 and 30-18 at the half but it was hard to remember that after 32 minutes. Michigan City senior William Walker was a different player after halftime and he wasn't alone, leading the Wolves to a come-from-behind 55-51 victory over the Bulldogs.

Walker, a 6-5 athlete who plays defensive end on the Wolves' football team, scored 14 of his 18 points and grabbed 10 of his 14 rebounds in the second half. Guard Ben Stoll scored eight of his 13 points after the intermission. Forward Malachi Mitchell scored eight of his 12 after halftime.

While CP (2-3, 1-3 DAC) became hesitant and missed open shots, Michigan City (3-4, 2-2) pounded the boards and ran the floor.

“Malachi Mitchell stepped up and said some things at halftime,” said third year coach Bennie Edwards, “They talked among them selves. Everybody kept saying that we're better than this.”

Crown Point hopes they're better than this. For the second time in three games, CP, which has nine seniors, held a lead of more than 10 points in the second half and just could not stop the slide when the opposition began to rally.

“We've got to stop hanging our heads when things go wrong,” said a notably irritated coach Tom Johnson. “We're playing not to lose. I don't really have anything else to say. We had this game won. It's beyond irritating. People are gong to have to step up. They've been put in a position to win and now is the time to step up.”

Early on, it was a good night for the home team in front of about 500 fans. Senior guard Mark Patrick passed out six first half assists, front court players Brian Maloney and Ryan Brown split 12 points and Chachi Albrecht sank two three-point goals. A 12-2 run over the final 4:37 created the halftime edge ands CP went scoreless for six minutes earlier or they'd have had a larger lead.

“Our first quarter tonight was like some of our third quarter,” commented Edwards who has watched this years' Wolves get outscored in the third quarter 13-6 by Chesterton, 18-11 by New Prairie, 19-13 by Riley and 17-5 by Merrillvillle just three nights earlier in a 70-48 loss.

That problem may have been addressed at halftime Friday because Walker, an agile forward, grabbed five third quarter rebounds and scored four points to immediately cut the lead to 30-24. MC's effort seemed to shake the confidence of CP when Walker's last possession 12 foot shot cut the lead to 39-35 after three quarters.

Except for Seth Henderson, who finished with six points and five rebounds, the bench had little to offer on this night and the trio of Walker, 6-3 forward Malachi Mitchell and 5-11 senior Ben Stoll all made significant contributions in the final quarter.

Mitchell's three-pointer gave MC a 46-43 lead with 3:30 left in the game and an offensive rebound by Walker, who led MC to a 26-17 football victory over CP in October, made it 50-47 with an offensive rebound with 1:50 left. Ryan Brown, who no longer needs a face mask to protect a nose he broke two weeks ago, scored on a lob pass from Patrick to make it 50-49 but 3-of-4 from the line by Mitchell and 5-6 freshman point guard Stephen Ward gave MC a 53-49 lead with 49 seconds to play.

CP's Sam Henderson missed the front end of a 1-and-1 with 30 seconds to go and Walker sank two foul shots with 17 seconds left to ice the win. Ryan Brown's offensive rebound basket with two seconds to go changed the score but not the outcome.

“Walker's a load,” said Johnson, who cringed at the MC forward's nine offensive rebounds. “You can't play not to lose. If you're coming into the game, you've got to be ready to play. We've got too many guys on this team right now who hang their heads when things don't go their way. It's got to stop.”

CP NOTES:  MC freshman Stephen Ward was a big time eighth-grade player that Edwards decided to start immediately on the varsity to build his program for the future.

“It's a gamble,” he admitted. “But when you're 2-19 (last season), it's not much of a gamble. The other players have done a good job of accepting him. He has a lot of talent.”

The win gave the Wolves more total victories and more DAC victories than they had in the entire 2003-2004 season when they were 2-19, 1-15.

The Bulldogs, who sank 24 three-point baskets in their first three games, have been 'held' to seven in their last two. Truthfully, while defense has something to do with it, CP is missing open shots right now.

The Bulldogs sank 9 of 13 from the foul line to give them 69-of-91 (75.5%) for the year.

CP begins a 10-day Christmas layoff before hosting Merrillville (3-2, 3-1 DAC) on Dec. 28.

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CROWN POINT (2-3)

Coach Tom Johnson, 6-16 in 2003-2004

DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT/ TIME	USA-365.com Broadcast Time
Nov. 27	at Griffith {3A}	W, 66-36
Dec. 3	LaPorte {4A}‡	W, 69-57	7:15 PM
Dec. 10	at Lake Central {4A}‡	L, 61-64
Dec. 14	at Valparaiso {4A}‡	L, 35-55
Dec. 17	Michigan City {4A}‡	L, 51-55	7:15 PM
Dec. 28	Merrillville {4A}‡	7:30 pm	7:15 PM
Dec. 30	at Hammond Gavit {3A}	7:30 pm
Jan. 4	Portage {4A}‡	7:30 pm	7:15 PM
Jan. 7	at Chesterton {4A}‡	7:30 pm
Jan. 14	Lake Central {4A}‡	7:30 pm	7:15 PM
Jan. 15	at South Bend Adams {4A}	7:30 pm
Jan. 21	at Michigan City {4A}‡	7:30 pm
Jan. 22	East Chicago Central {4A}	7:30 pm
Jan. 28	Valparaiso {4A}‡	7:30 pm	7:15 PM
Jan. 29	at Munster {4A}	7:30 pm	7:15 PM
Feb. 4	at Merrillville {4A}‡	7:30 pm
Feb. 10	at LaPorte {4A}‡	7:30 pm
Feb. 18	at Portage {4A}‡	7:30 pm
Feb. 19	Lowell {4A}	7:30 pm	7:15 PM
Feb. 25	Chesterton {4A}‡	7:30 pm	7:15 PM
‡DUNELAND CONFERENCE GAME

Michigan City (3-4)

Coach Bennie Edwards, 14-36 in 3rd year at school 

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Revised: December 18, 2004 .