CROWN POINT, IN (2-19-2005) - For the second game in a row, the result was so positive you almost don't want to believe it.

After rolling over Portage 72-48 with 12 three-point goals and 15 of 16 foul shooting, CP (11-8) turned around 24 hours later and outscored Lowell 24-0 in the first period on the way to a 75-33 runaway.

“I don't know what to say,” said an almost apologetic Tom Johnson afterwards. “We're playing the way we want to play.”

Lowell coach Mike Magley said, “The boys haven't quit. We played a good half last night against Munster but tonight, they hit some shots early, we started pressing and we just stopped running our offense. It has happened to us before this year. We've just got to go work on Monday and work as hard as we ever have.”

This was not a competitive game at all.

Senior Chachi Albrecht hit two three-point baskets in the first three minutes to get CP started in front of a Saturday crowd of about 1,000, many of whom were there to see a junior cheerleader exhibition at halftime. Left-handed wing Sam Henderson dropped a couple more three-pointers and Sam's brother Seth came off the bench to hit a three-pointer, making it 22-0.

Lowell rushed low percentage shots and CP continued the hot shooting they displayed in Friday night's 72-48 win at Portage. It was 28-0 before Lowell's Jeff Clemens hit a three-point shot with 5:51 to go before halftime.

Sophomore Mat Ernest grabbed six first half rebounds off the CP bench and the Bulldogs, who have won eight of their last 12 games, expanded the lead to 40-3 before Lowell started retaliating.

In the second half, CP was almost apologetic about continuing to score, scoring 14 unanswered points to make it 62-10.

Lowell rallied against CP's junior varsity in the fourth quarter, with sophomore Mike Weiand scoring eight of the Devils' very welcome 23 fourth quarter points that made the final score somewhat less embarrassing.

“It's part of being a young team,” said Magley. “You get this. But 19 games into the season. You wish the composure would be there.”

The building emptied very quickly after the game, leaving the Lowell team waiting in the nearly empty CP gym.

The Devils host Kankakee Valley in the season finale and they then host Highland (14-6) on Tuesday, March 1 in the state tournament sectional quarterfinals. Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before you can get up.

“We shot the ball incredibly well,” said Johnson. “The kids are playing well right now. We've got a big conference game with the Trojans next week. We are starting to play well when we need to play well.'

DOG & DEVIL NOTES: It is not the kind of record that anybody keeps but it is unlikely there has been a boys varsity basketball game in the last 20 years where a team went scoreless for two separate periods of the game. Griffith and Lowell played a scoreless first quarter earlier this month in a 38-36 Panther win. Magley is as positive as he can be under the circumstances. He was willing to accept the logic that the severe Lowell basketball pains now could lead to success like CP's 6-16 season last year laid the groundwork for this year's 11-8, with a sectional shot. Can Lowell do the same thing?

“Yes, if we're committed to working over the summer,” he said quickly. “That's the bottom line. Just because you have the experience, it doesn't count unless you make a serious commitment. I believe our kids will.”

Crown Point fans who stayed until the end saw the future as 6-4 Mike Kvachkoff scored six points in the final quarter. Kvachkoff has a good shooting touch and can block shots, but he is very thin and would be pushed around something fierce at his present weight.

“We've got nine months to take care of that,” smiled Johnson. “He has gotten stronger this year and we've got time to get him even stronger.”

Crown Point drew a bye in the March 1 quarterfinals of the Merrillville Class 4A sectional and will not have to play until the second semifinal game on Friday, March 4.

With Merrillville (16-3) and Valparaiso (16-2) in the Merrillville Sectional, drawing Chesterton (8-10) is a perfect draw except for one thing. CP has to play the same team they face Friday in the season finale.

The Trojans, who defeated CP 45-36 in early January, close the season with Boone Grove (14-5) and Crown Point (11-8) on the road.

Chesterton lost 7-foot sophomore backup center Evan Schmidt in the game against CP and he has not returned to action.

Last Friday, Chesterton won their home finale 58-48 over LaPorte. Freshman 6-3 left-handed forward Zack Novak scored 19 points while senior three-sport star Matt Maple added 11. It was not an impressive performance. Not only did Chesterton shoot 9-of-22 from the foul line, the Trojans did give up 10 three-point shots to LaPorte, a point of concern since CP sank 24 three-point goals last weekend in two games. Then Bulldogs have 132 three-point baskets in 19 games.

The winner of the Merrillville sectional will play the South Bend sectional champion in the Michigan City regional semifinals on March 12. Crown Point has already defeated three of the six teams in that sectional.

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CROWN POINT (12-8)

Coach: Tom Johnson, 113-82 in 9th year at school, 146-113 in 12th year overall

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}‡	L, 53-67	7:15 PM
Dec. 30	at Hammond Gavit {3A}	W, 47-35
Jan. 4	Portage {4A}‡	W, 56-47	7:15 PM
Jan. 7	at Chesterton {4A}‡	L, 36-45
Jan. 14	Lake Central {4A}‡	W, 59-38	7:15 PM
Jan. 15	at South Bend Adams {4A}	W, 36-35
Jan. 21	at Michigan City {4A}‡	W, 67-60
Jan. 24	East Chicago Central {4A}	W, 68-63
Jan. 28	Valparaiso {4A}‡	L, 62-65	7:15 PM
Jan. 29	at Munster {4A}	L, 45-53	7:15 PM
Feb. 4	at Merrillville {4A}‡	L, 45-47
Feb. 10	at LaPorte {4A}‡	W, 41-38
Feb. 18	at Portage {4A}‡	W, 72-48
Feb. 19	Lowell {4A}	W, 75-33	7:15 PM
Feb. 25	Chesterton {4A}‡	W, 49-44	7:15 PM
Mar. 4	Chesterton at Merrillville Sectional semifinals	7:30 PM	6:00 PM
Mar. 5	Merrillville Sectional Championship	7:30 PM	7:15 PM
‡DUNELAND CONFERENCE GAME

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Revised: March 07, 2005 .