FORT MADISON - There were flashes of what the Holy Trinity boys basketball team could be in the first 14 minutes of Tuesday’s game against Mediapolis at Shottenkirk Gym.
The final two minutes of the first half, and all of the second half, were what the Crusaders don’t want to be this season.
The 74-52 loss came after Mediapolis went on a run going into halftime, and then coming back out of the locker room. The Bulldogs (2-1) outscored the Crusaders (1-4) 30-6 in a 7 1/2-minute stretch after the Crusaders were up 30-22.
"We had all of the success in the world,” Holy Trinity coach John Hellige said. “We were playing as good as any team in the (SEI Superconference) South Division for a quarter and six minutes. And then we decided we weren’t content with success. We forced things, we turned the ball over, we fouled in the half-court. We didn’t see guys that were open, and it kind of snowballed from there.”
Mediapolis’ Cole Lipper scored 33 points, constantly finding his way to the basket.
“Lipper, I mean, hat’s off the him,” Hellige said. “He really had a great game. We had no answer for him tonight. He was just so stronger than us.”
Holy Trinity led by as much as 10 points in the first half before the Bulldogs first chipped into the margin and then completely erased the Crusaders’ control.
“We ran some really good sets we’ve been working super-hard on,” Hellige said. “But we couldn’t get into a position where we could get things set up and get a good shot with a nice 10-point lead, and that’s what we really needed.
“When we run our sets, when we get things organized, we’re successful. But when we try to play willy-nilly YMCA basketball, it’s not good.”
Conner Gehling led Holy Trinity with 21 points. Luke Hellige had 13 points. But only three other Crusaders scored.
Kamden Stotlar had 11 points for Mediapolis.
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