COLONY — The Crest basketball team sits with a very respectable 9-6 record as their season comes down the back stretch, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty for Travis Hermreck’s squad to continue to work on.
Never were the Lancer faults more evident than in Tuesday’s 69-38 loss to Olpe.
“We knew Olpe was good and we knew we’d have to play well to beat them to even stay in the game,” Hermreck said.
Crest was able to hang tough with Olpe through the first quarter when they only trailed by a score of 12-10 entering the second eight minutes of game time, but it went downhill quickly from there for the Lancers.
“We had our heads up,” Hermreck said. “When you are playing and you don’t worry about anything other than playing hard and competing against the other team, it gives you a chance.”
The Eagles outscored the Lancers 14-4 in the second quarter to open up a 12 point halftime lead. In the second quarter, Olpe attacked Crest with both offensive rebounding and ball pressure to force turnovers.
“You are going to give up offensive rebounds and turn the ball over every now and then,” Hermreck said. “When it happens continuously, that is a pretty good sign that mentally you are somewhere else and physically you are just not putting out the effort.”
Despite the halftime deficit, Crest was still very much in the game and with star guard Hunter Frazell’s ability to shoot from long range, Crest seemed as if they might be able to mount a second half push.
But instead of Crest cutting into the lead, Olpe built on it.
“I felt like we put our heads down and allowed Olpe to outwork us,” Hermreck said.
With a defensive philosophy that keyed on making sure Frazell’s clean looks from behind the arc were limited, Olpe frustrated the Lancer star and his teammates.
“I was disappointed in the fact that we had a lot of finger pointing,” Hermreck said. “We didn’t play as a team and when that happens against a team that has more talent than you and more physical ability than you, it is going to be bad things.
“What we have to understand is that we’re shorter, we are this and that. We have to play as a team and we’ve got to play harder than the other team. We got to be together. We are in this together. I don’t get that feeling from the boys right now that they believe that.”
The Eagles doubled the lead they enjoyed at halftime in the third quarter by outscoring the Lancers 23-11 to go up by 24.
A 20-13 fourth quarter ended the game for Crest and provided the final margin.
