Cedarville falls victim to Lake Erie’s “Storm” in 23-point loss

By Emily Tuttle

The Lake Erie Storm stepped onto the Cedarville University basketball court, ready to wreak havoc on the Jackets for a full 40 minutes. The Storm’s frenetic pace and unrelenting full-court press caught the Jackets in their whirlwind on February 8, where Cedarville fell to Lake Erie 74-51.

Head Coach Rob Jones knew Lake Erie’s style of play was unique: fast-paced, tenacious and, unfortunately, efficient. In a one-day turnaround from their loss to Ashland, the Jackets’ practice consisted of traps and contested rebounds. Still, even their readiness could not prepare them for the intensity with which the Storm consistently competed. 

“You have to play their game,” Jones said. “They’re so committed to what they’re doing that they force you into uncomfortable situations you don’t see in a normal basketball game. Their style of basketball really won out in everyone.”

The Storm took command early, executing a full-court press that threw the Jackets off guard and wore them down. In response, Cedarville had to match Lake Erie’s insidious pace and was forced to play their opponent’s game rather than their own.

As a result, Cedarville could not string together any offense. If they got a steal, it often resulted in a turnover. If they scored a bucket and the crowd jumped to their feet, the Storm would score a shot of their own. An early 20-3 run by the Storm sucked the life out of the 1,013 fans in the building.

Jaylen Davis stopped the Storm’s momentum briefly with a three-pointer, and Jon Willeman took a charge after their coaches begged for more intensity and aggression. An early entrance into the bonus for both teams in the first half proved the style in which the Storm forced the game to go, giving the refs the choice to swallow their whistle or continuously blow it.

Rounding out the first half, the Jackets had scored a mere two points in the paint and shot 19% from the field, but they were still only down 10. 

For a game like this, that was a win for Jones. He encouraged his players to shoot better, as they consistently have this season. 

But the Jackets grew increasingly frustrated by the Storm’s power in the second half, and Lake Erie looked like they could continue trapping their opponent all day. They commanded the half, and what Cedarville once contained in offense rebounds and turnovers, they let slip through their grasp. And their offense still did not show up. 

“We couldn’t score enough to put enough pressure on them,” Jones said.

The Storm forced 24 turnovers and grabbed 18 boards on the offensive side of the ball. Their hustle and tenacity were displayed as they bodied through the paint, even as the sizably smaller opponent. The Jackets were disoriented: each lapse in defensive rebounding produced a score for the Storm, who fought for 22 second-chance points to the Jackets’ four. 

Even after successfully beating Lake Erie’s press, Cedarville was discombobulated offensively and unable to score points in the paint. 

“Sometimes it takes a great amount of effort, and then once you get the ball down there, you got hands digging in and trying to get the ball,” Jones said. “We didn’t have great opportunities, and when we did, we couldn’t capitalize on them.”

He believes that when his team is at their best, they consistently score points in the paint, and tonight, that effort was in vain. They fell victim to Lake Erie’s wild pace, and no part of the game felt normal. 

“You want to play in a way that you’re familiar with,” Jones said. “You want to play a way that feels characteristic of your team, and we just never had any spurts of that tonight.”

Still, the men fought. The coaches continually prodded their exhausted players for more physicality, and they delivered despite the uneven scoreboard. 

Throughout wins and losses, the Jackets must display this character to carry them through a season that has ebbed and flowed. Jones and his team will gather thoughts for a few short days before heading on the road to face the GMAC opponent holding the spot above them, Thomas More, on February 13. 

Emily Tuttle is a sophomore journalism major and the sports editor for Cedars. She is passionate about Philly sports, weight lifting, and all things silly.

Photo by Logan Howard