[02 FEB 08] CRUSADER NEWS                    

        Crusaders (46) 82 Sheffield Arrows (40) 74

Dustin Bevard was first on the scoreboard on Saturday when Sheffield Arrows visited the Coventry Sports Centre and met an eager Crusader side. 

Crusaders, showing much better form and focus since the Christmas break, did, indeed, take the lead when Sam Spare, Keith Sudler, and young Sydney Donaldson all scored. It was a lead they would never relinquish.  

By the end of the quarter the three top scorers of the game had already made their mark, Ryan Luethy on 9, Sudler with 8 and Bevard with 7. 

At the start of the second period the home team had an 11-point lead. Luethy continued to give Sheffield trouble, hitting another 13 points as he “did it all” for Coventry. 

Sheffield, however, won the second quarter 22-19 and closed the gap to within 6 by the interval 46-40, with a good overall team effort. 

When Bevard again opened the second half with the first score, cutting Arrow’s deficit to just four, it looked like they were back in the running for sure. 

Crusaders then went on a 12-0 run with an attack led by Luethy’s lethal 3-pointer, baskets by Donaldson and Spare, and another three sunk by Sudler. 

The home side was enjoying the luxury of a 16-point lead half way through the third before Sheffield returned the favour by holding the Crusaders scoreless for the rest of the period to cut their deficit to just seven by the next break 61-54. 

Crusaders were on the offensive again when the last quarter started with a three pointer by Ed Baynes Clarke shortly followed by another Baynes Clarke basket. 

Crusaders kept that cushion until, with just over 2 minutes left Bevard went to work again, complemented by a big three from Brannon Martin, who otherwise had a quiet night. 

In the final minute Arrows were trailing by three (75-72) when they had to start fouling Crusaders who were hanging on to the ball to run out the clock. 

Crusaders went to the free throw line eight times, and the results definitely did not go to Sheffield’s advantage. Sudler hit 3 out of 4, and Donaldson 4 out of 4, in the end giving Crusaders a crucial 82-74 victory at home. 

Crusaders have next weekend off as they gear up for a tough second half to the month, facing Reading Rockets at home in Coventry on Sat. 16^th, London Leopards away on Sat. 23^rd, and Worthing Thunder on Sun. 24th at North Solihull Sports Centre. 

Crusaders Scorers: Luethy 39, Sudler 16, S. Donaldson 8, Baynes Clarke 7, Spare 6, Taylor 4, Payne 2