MEDIAPOLIS — It was time, Holy Trinity coach John Hellige felt, that his team needed to beat one of the better boys basketball teams in the SEI Superconference.
The Crusaders responded exactly the way Hellige wanted.
Luke Hellige scored inside with two minutes left to break the last tie of the game, then made four free throws in the final 30 seconds as Holy Trinity defeated Mediapolis 55-50 on Tuesday night.
The Crusaders (5-10 overall, 3-7 Superconference South Division) led almost the entire game, then got stops and crucial shots in the closing minutes to fight off the Bulldogs (8-6, 5-5).
A team that was smarting from a last-second loss to city rival Fort Madison on Saturday was celebrating a critical win with postseason play looming.
“You know, it’s a big one,” John Hellige said. “We’ve been knocking at the door to beat one of the better teams in the conference, and Mediapolis is coming off big wins (over Winfield-Mount Union and Danville).”
Mediapolis had taken a 47-46 lead with 3:40 to play after a four-point possession that followed a technical foul on the Holy Trinity bench.
But Conner Gehling, who had 14 points, tied the game by making the second of two free throws with 3:09 left. Luke Hellige then scored inside to put the Crusaders up 49-47.
Mediapolis got to within 51-50 on Cole Lipper’s 3-point play. Hellige made two free throws with 22 seconds and the Crusaders, who had just two team fouls, had plenty of fouls to give to cut away at the clock.
Mediapolis’ Max Griffin, though, got away for an open 3-point attempt, but missed. Lipper got the rebound, but lost the ball. Hellige, who led the Crusaders with 23 points, was fouled, and made two free throws with one second left for the final margin.
“Our kids, we’re seeing a whole new level of toughness,” John Hellige said. “Not necessarily pushing-and-shoving toughness. But it’s talking on defense, it’s boxing out, it’s making stronger passes. It’s all of those tough things you have to do as a team.
“It was nice after that tough loss to Fort Madison to bounce back and not hang our heads. All credit to the kids, they were phenomenal.”
Lipper led Mediapolis with 23, 10 off his total from the Bulldogs’ 74-52 win over Holy Trinity on December 6.
Hellige considered playing a zone to try to contain Lipper.
“We decided right before the game that we’re not going to back down, we’re not going to crawl into a zone and let them bomb away from three,” Hellige said. “We’re going to get our butts down and play defense with our feet, keep guys in front of us, and be tough, and that’s what we did tonight.”
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