The #6 ranked Jesuit Crusaders (8-4) fell to the #1 ranked West Linn Lions (10-1) 51-31 on January 13th.
West Linn was quick to pull away, as they consistently were hitting shots throughout the first quarter. However, the main issue that threatened the Crusaders early was West Linn's lockdown defense, as a lack of offensive production from Jesuit defined a first quarter that ended with the Lions on top, 20-2. The Crusaders struggled to rebound the ball defensively in the first quarter, as West Linn often found themselves with second and even third chances to score every possession, allowing them to consistently put points on the board.
The Crusaders found their rhythm in the second quarter, however, hitting crucial shots and shutting down West Linn's offense. They managed to out score the Lions 10-14, putting them down 30-16 at the half. Leading the way for the Crusaders was sophomore Cece Forney with 6 points and freshman Sam Harris with 4.
Coming out of halftime, the Crusaders looked to build on the momentum that they had established in the first half. However, the Lions were quick to shut that down. They dominated the Crusaders in the paint, grabbing rebounds on both ends of the floor. A frustrating third quarter ended on a bright note, as senior Sophia Costarella hit a clutch buzzer beater to cut West Linn's lead to 15, as the Crusaders headed into the 4th quarter down 39-24.
West Linn continued to play with pace throughout the 4th quarter, as the Crusaders struggled to make shots fall. The Crusaders only could manage 7 points in a frustrating quarter that ended with West Linn taking the win 51-31. Cece Forney led the Crusaders with 14 points. 3 different West Linn players racked up nights in the double digits.
In the end, the game was defined by defense. The Crusaders 31 points was the second least by the team all season. West Linn's 51 points was well below their season average of 60.
Looking ahead for the Crusaders, they play Evergreen (WA) at home on Saturday, January 17, before beginning league play on Tuesday, January 20th at Mountainside.
