Crusaders (44) 68

Liverpool (33) 89

The third encounter between these two sides ended with the same result yet again.  Liverpool outplayed the Crusaders and deserved the win on the day.

The outset of the game was tight defensively.  Both teams seemed wary of the other and Crusaders took an early lead.  Liverpool failed to even get on the scoreboard until 3 ½ minutes into the game.   

Their first points were noted when Liverpool’s Jan Nation slam dunked the ball and then it was suddenly like a dam had burst and the game picked up considerable pace and the ball started falling into the baskets at both ends of the court.

Crusaders played with confidence and poise, and any observer could be excused for thinking from the first half, that the two teams should not be competing in the same league.  Crusaders outscored and out-rebounded and increased their lead to 11 by half time.

Derrick Pope had already scored 13 points by the interval, with a trio of three pointers and Larry Graves and Dip Donaldson had also contributed well to the score line. 

Liverpool evidently spent their half time break regrouping themselves and motivating themselves to improve from their dismal first half when they struggled to put 33 points on the scoreboard.

The Crusaders, who had to make some last minute changes when it became evident that American David Argo was not going to make it back from his Christmas break in time to play, may have relaxed their guard too soon.

Liverpool spent the third quarter playing a catch up game.  They put a full court press on the Crusaders and that put a lot of additional pressure on the home team. The Crusaders countered that by sometimes breaking the press, but also by turning the ball over too frequently. 

The scores became closer as Liverpool’s intensity increased, and the Crusaders looked more and more like their opposition had earlier in the game. By the end of the third quarter Liverpool had gone ahead by three points and now led 63-60.

The fourth quarter should be recorded as one of Crusaders nightmares.  They managed a meagre eight points in the final ten minutes, while Liverpool surged on, scoring 26 points with seeming ease and freedom. 

It was another game of two totally different halves.  The first half the Crusaders looked capable of destroying their opposition and really dominating in this league. But in the second half there were too many silly errors, costly turnovers and missed shots, belying the fact that they really are a very experienced team. 

There are plenty of games left to make up lost ground, but each league game is costly now, and the Crusaders will have to really pull up their bootlaces to make their way back up the league table from the comfortable middle where they now sit.