Red Devils use big first quarter to beat Hebron on road, 60-44

A USA-365.com Special Report by Mark Smith
12-22-2007

Tuesday, 12-18-2007 -  Boys Basketball at HEBRON, IN

LOWELL (60)  Robert Cusic 8-2-19, Keith Greer 4-2-10, Joe Bell 3-1-8, Ted Macis 5-2-13, David Weiand 0-4-4, Nate Miller 1-4-6, Jake Kerwin 0-0-0, Ben Fox 0-0-0.  TOTALS:  21 (15-19) 60.

HEBRON (44)  Nick Eason 2-0-5, Eric Elliott 4-1-11, Adam Spurr 2-1-5, Andrew Shrum 3-2-9, Justin Brindley 2-2-7, Chris Corak 1-3-5, David Ortiz 1-0-2, Rob Hedge 0-0-0, JD Ziegler 0-0-0.  TOTALS: 15 (9-12) 44.

FREE THROWS:  LOWELL (15-19, 78.8%)  Cusic 2-3, Weiand 4-4, Greer 2-4, Bell 1-2, Macis 2-2, Miller 4-4.
HEBRON (9-12, 75%) Shrum 2-2, Brindley 2-2, Elliott 1-1, Corak 3-5, Spurr 1-2.

REBOUNDS:  LOWELL (19) Kerwin 6, Bell 5, Weiand 3, Greer 2, Macis 2, Miller; 
HEBRON (23) Corak 5, Elliott 5, Spurr 4, Hedge 4, Ortiz 3, Brindley, Ziegler.

ASSISTS:  LOWELL (12) Cusic 5, Weiand 2, Fox 2, Bell, Kerwin, Macis;  HEBRON (5) Corak 2, Shrum 2, Eason.

STEALS:  LOWELL (6)  Weiand 2, Miller 2, Cusic 2; HEBRON (8) Elliott 5, Shrum, Eason, Brindley.

TURNOVERS:  LOWELL (2-2-5-6) 15;  HEBRON (7-3-3-4) 17.

3-GOALS:  LOWELL  (3) Robert Cusic, Joe Bell, Ted Macis;  HEBRON (5) Eric Elliott 2, Andrew Shrum, Nick Eason, Justin Brindley.
  

HEBRON (12-18-2007) - "Can we just talk about the first quarter?' asked Lowell coach Mike Magley, after Lowell beat Hebron Tuesday night.

That's what both sides were talking about after Lowell won its annual nonconference game with 2A neighbor Hebron 60-44 Tuesday night in Porter County.  Lowell jumped out to leads of 10-0 and 21-3 before largely coasting through the remainder of a 16-point win that broke the Devils' three-game losing streak and became Hebron's third loss in a row.

"We're a different team every time out now," said Magley, reminding that guards Ted and Eli Macis and Nate Miller, all seniors, missed the first three games.

"This was Macis' second game back," said Magley.  "This was Nate's first.  So we're different with them in there.  Not everything's going to go right as soon as they get back in there and that's what I told them.  But they had a lot of energy."

Macis came off the bench to score 13 points, backing up 19 from starting point guard Robert Cusic.  Miller was everywhere defensively, grabbing a couple of steals and scoring six, including 4-of-4 from the line.  Cusic, a 5-10 four-year starter at lead guard, scored six of his 19 points in the first period and finished with five assists.

Above all though, Lowell played with an anger, a sense of urgency that wasn't obvious, even in the season opening win over North Newton.  They should.  This is Lowell's year to win the Northwest Crossroads Conference.  Andrean (1-5), Munster (2-4), Griffith (3-2) and Highland (0-6) are all 'down' or rebuilding.  If Hobart (4-3) and Kankakee Valley (3-2) can't win the new league, then Lowell should, even though the Devils already have a loss to Hobart.

What's the big deal about winning a league where the top teams are having off years?  You wouldn't ask that if you knew that Lowell's last winning season was before any of the present Red Devil players were in kindergarten.

"We have a lot of seniors," said Magley.  "There should be urgency.  That's how seniors play.  It's their last year.  That's what you see with him (Cusic)."

Lowell became less eager to score and eased off in the second quarter when they could have put the game out of reach and Hebron guard Eric Elliott led a 10-0 run that closed the lead to 25-13 with 2:15 left in the half.  To be fair, the Devils went to the bench during the second quarter to give their starters some rest that may have created the eventual final score.

But the Hawks (1-5), who have six seniors, used a 1-2-2 full court press and mounted an 8-0 third period run that chopped a 14-point lead down to 31-25 with 2:50 left.  A basket by 6-foot-6 Lowell junior Keith Greer scored off a pass from David Weiand to make it 33-25 and Weiand's two foul shots upped the lead to 10.  Greer, who may be developing into an unorthodox offensive factor, because he has the wingspan of a player 6-8 or 6-9, scored on an unusual scoop shot to lift Lowell to a 37-25 edge.  Hebron never closed within nine points again.

"We had it down to six," said Hebron coach Brenda Drook, who doesn't understand the wide swings in quality of play by her boys.  "Obviously, you can't fall behind 21-3 and expect to win.  We played hard.  We made up a lot of ground.  But we were behind Morgan Township 30-6."

"Tonight, I just don't think we even warmed up well," aded Drook.  "Our guys are out there taking fancy shots during warmup.  Shots they wouldn't ever take in a game.  We just weren't concentrating.  I think we've got a good team.  You can't give up.  We'll keep trying."

Lowell was lifted considerably by Ted Macis, who played very hard and figures to return to the starting lineup soon.  The Devils truthfully have been starting Cusic with four forwards when Miller, Ted and Eli Macis were unavailable.

When Eli Macis is available, and he reportedly will be back when Hanover Central visits Lowell on Dec. 28, the Devils will be at full strength for the first time all year and the clock will start ticking.  It's now or never for Lowell.

"I think we have a lot more size than we've had in past years," said Magley, who doesn't like to set goals.  "But we have a lot of seniors and experience at guard.  That should be a strength for us.  But we have to keep getting better every time out."

DEVIL NOTES:  Lowell plays their rescheduled game at Gavit on Thursday night (Dec. 20) with the junior varsity game starting at 6:00 p.m.  Lowell's rescheduled home game with Gary West Side has been reset for Jan. 31.

LaCrosse coach Steve Leonard, the long time Lowell coach of the 1980s and early 90s, was at Hebron to scout the his old team and the Hawks for Porter County Conference play.

"The PCC is very strong this year," he said.  "Morgan (the defending league champ) has everybody back.  South Central is very big.  Hanover is very big.  Boone Grove's four sophomores are very talented. They are as good as any four sophomores I've seen play together in a while. We're off to a good start but Boone Grove handled us."

Hebron will play defending champion Morgan Township (4-2) in the 68th South County Tournament semifinals on Friday, Dec. 28.