Superb CM defense leads Eagles to 50-27 victory over Nokomis
BETHALTO — It was only the third game of the new season for Civic Memorial’s boys basketball team, but on Friday night, the Eagles’ defense rose to the occasion as it was an important game in February.
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The Eagles defense did a superior job on Nokomis in their game at the Stove Top Stuffing Classic, not allowing any Redskin player to score double figures in taking a 50-27 decision at the CM gym. Sophomore guard Bryce Zupan scored 13 points in leading the Eagles while senior guard Jaxsen Helmkamp added 10.
“We really got after it defensively,” said Eagle coach Doug Carey after the game. “Our guard play defensively was absolutely off the charts. They put so much pressure of them, that the couldn’t really throw it in to the big boys very much. . .we had so much pressure, too much hand in their face, we had help coming from every which direction, and the post guys did a good job defensively as well.”
And after the first three games, the Eagles have seen some mixed results.
“Well, the first game, we didn’t shoot very well,” Carey said, “the second game, we didn’t play very well. Tonight, we played OK offensively, great defensively, so, we need to put it all together tomorrow night.”
The Redskins never lead in the game, and in fact, had only one tie, at 2-2 very early on. Helmkamp hit a three from the side to give the Eagles a 5-2 lead, one they would never relinquish as CM used their relentless pressure to force Nokomis turnovers that lead to baskets by Jaquan Adams and Helmkamp that made it 10-4 past the halfway mark of the term. Baskets by David Lane and Camryn Gerhardt along with another score by Zupan made the score 16-8 at quarter time.
The active CM defense had created many of those baskets, and it continued on in the second. A three by Helmkamp and another basket by Zupan were sandwiched around a Carter Sabol free throw upped the advantage to 21-9 early on. It stayed that way for much of the term as the Eagle defense forced turnover after turnover, but couldn’t score. An Austin McDowell three from the top of the key cut the lead to 21-12, but a Helmkamp score off an offensive rebound made the score 23-12 for CM at halftime.
The Eagles started the third on a 7-0 run, getting a basket from Adams, a three by Helmkamp and another basket by Geoff Withers off a turnover to make it 30-12. The Redskins started a run of their own, scoring the next eight points. Three balls by Andrew Herpsreith and Kamden Ramsdell along with a putback by Sabol cur the Eagle lead to 30-20, causing the Eagles to call time out and regroup with 4:33 left in the period.
The Eagles came out of the time out with a 7-2 run, getting a free throw from Caden Clark, a basket by Brandon Hampton off a nice feed, a short jumper from Withers and a nice basket from Helmkamp to take the advantage back to 37-22 at three quarter time.
As the final term started, the Redskins got a three from Ramsdell to cut the lead to 12, but if Nokomis thought they had any chance to get back into the game, it was snuffed out when Withers hit on a three-point play and Zach Williams scored off a fast break to up the lead to 42-25. Zupan then iced the game with back to back three balls that made it 48-27 halfway through the quarter. Even then, the Eagle defense didn’t let up, pressuring the Redskins into turnovers. Williams scored the final basket to make the final 50-27.
Even with the game all but decided, Zupan looked like a player that will become a key element in the CM lineup as the season goes along.
“I think we had it under control before then, but you know, that’s what he does,” Carey said. “He’s a really good shooter, and he’s come along as a sophomore. He’s getting better defensively, and we’re going to lean more and more on him as the year goes on.”
The Eagles conclude tournament play tonight as they take on Granite City in a 6 p.m. tip off. The Redskins and Triad will play the curtain raiser at the CM gym, with the tip coming at 4:30.
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