Academy turns over Devils in key NCW win

MOSES LAKE - Turnovers undid size and speed overcame brawn on Friday night.

The smaller, quicker Moses Lake Christian Academy Lions took the first step to claiming the North Central Washington 1B league regular season crown with a 52-37 victory over Wilson Creek.

The Academy (7-4, 3-0) was sparked by the 20-point effort of Joe Timofeyev, who teamed with fellow guard,

Conner Webb, terrorized Wilson Creek's backcourt all evening.

"We have to play pretty much fast paced since it gives us easier chances to score," Lions head coach Duke Wood said. "Conner and Joe pick the whole game pace up just because they are so quick."

Wilson Creek (6-3. 3-1), which has made a living on outrebounding their opponents with a more physical stature, were undone by their Achilles' Heel: turnovers.

The Lions forced 26 turnovers, 15 in the first half, compared to their scant 12, with only three committed after halftime.

"That's just a huge problem for us, taking care of the basketball," Wilson Creek head coach Keith Jensen said. "We go into each game focusing on three things which are,  take care of the basketball, stay out of foul trouble, and control the boards. The turnover thing is our big problem. We have only player who can handle the ball. So when some of the others get the ball in space it can be a problem for us. They are very quick but I think it was more about us being so off."

Putting Wilson Creek's turnover issues into perspective, one just needs to see read two key first half components. In the first quarter they shot a solid 5-for-7 from the field but trailed 12-9 due in part to nine turnovers. Also, a few minutes into the second quarter, the Devils had turned the ball over on 14 of their first 22 possessions, including a run of seven straight and nine of 11.

They would trail 23-14 at halftime.

The smaller Lions kept the lead by also keeping the strong rebounding Devils team off the glass for the most part, limiting second chance opportunities.

"We worked on boxing out all week long and we thought if we could get a rebound and beat them down the floor we could be successful," Wood said. "We did exactly what we worked on all week. We wanted to pressure their guards and make Jacob Treat earn everything he got. We wanted to limit their open looks."

Treat, the Devils' point guard led his team with 15 points, many of which came on twisting, driving, contested shots.

Wilson Creek kept things interesting, cutting the deficit to 35-27 late in the third quarter on a layup by Derek Fredere.

But a six-point run sparked by Isaac Murrell helped the Academy bump their advantage back up to 42-29 at the end of the quarter.

Murrell finished with 14 points.

Also helping the Lions' cause was a zero turnover performance in the eight minutes following halftime.

"The game was too close and we had to limit our turnovers," Wood said. "We said to not make the great pass and pull it out if things weren't there and too run our stuff. We just starting limiting our mistakes."

Mistakes were the Devils' undoing at the start of the fourth quarter as they turned the ball over three straight times, and Timofeyev scored on two layups and Webb another, as the Academy built a 48-29 lead in just 63 seconds.

Webb finished with six points and Lowell Kirkwood added eight points for the Lions who would cruise the rest of the way.

Pat Trepanier was the only other Devil to have a strong offensive showing, finishing with 13 points.

"The coaches talk about that every game this year," Jensen said of his team's tendency to have only two top performers each night. "Jacob shows up every night and we have another kid step up at different nights. That's been an issue for us all year. We need our big four - Jacob, Pat, Derek, and Austin Reyes - to show up every night."

Wood believes that the win not only helps his Lions' efforts of claiming a league title but also put the onus on the Devils to keep pace.

"It's huge since its basically Wilson Creek, Mansfield, and us," Wood said."All three of us were undefeated and now it just leaves Mansfield and us. We just wanted to protect our homecourt and when we go there it will put the pressure on them to have to win."

Jensen still feels good about his team's position and play to date.

"So far I certainly feel good," Jensen said. "We are in a critical spot right here and we have to especially clean up the turnovers. Can we be consistent game in and game out, that's the concern."

The following evening the Academy dropped a 56-55 overtime decision at Wilbur-Creston.

The Lions held a 10-point lead late but shot only 4-for-13 from the free throw line and missed all three potential one-and-one's over the course of the fourth quarter and overtime.

"We started out pretty slow but managed to tie it up," Wood said. "In the third quarter we took it to them with our press again. Then we couldn't hit our free throws. It also hurt that Conner fouled out with over three minutes left."

Webb finished with 11 points, nine rebounds, and seven steals, while Timofeyev led the team with 18 points.