In a tight basketball game against the Lamar Texans, the Strake Jesuit Fighting Crusaders were able to pick up their first home victory of the season.
After leading the whole first half and then being down at the start of the fourth quarter, Jesuit stayed in the game and hustled to show dominance in scoring the ball. Senior guards Luke Thorburn and Blaine Holbrooke led the Crusaders in scoring and were able to consistently make shots and hit free throws when they mattered most.
The first quarter was mainly controlled by Jesuit. The home team went off to a fast start, as they accumulated points from their starting front court. Luke Thorburn and junior guard Edgar Romero both ended the quarter with five points apiece, giving Jesuit a 21-12 lead.
In the second quarter, Lamar was able to narrow the game deficit to a shorter margin. Junior forward Sir Issac Herron brought the Texans within just four points of the Crusaders off of three-point shots and put-backs at the rim. A collective effort of made free throws from multiple Texans players also contributed to closing the score's gap. Jesuit led Lamar heading into the locker room by a score of 29-25.
Lamar's momentum carried on into the second half as they were able to take the lead and stay ahead by as much as five points. Jesuit was able to overcome Lamar's full court press and keep the score close.
In a crazy sequence of events, the Crusaders barely escaped the full court press when Edgar Romero launched the ball behind his head without looking to keep it from going out of bounds. Thorburn was able to come up with the ball from Romero, as he then passed it across half court to Blaine Holbrook, who hit a nice mid-range shot. Jesuit still trailed heading into the fourth quarter, but their high energy did not die out.
With 6:34 remaining in the game, junior Oliver King made a three-point shot in the corner to regain the lead for the Crusaders 46-44. This was immediately followed by a three-point shot from Holbrooke, who had 17 points off the bench. Thorburn, who finished with 14 points, also made crucial free throws that maintained the Crusaders' lead. Even though the game stayed tight, it was clear that Strake Jesuit was playing with more control. They ended up winning the game by the score of 63-53.
Thorburn, Holbrooke and Romero look to continue to lead the Crusaders, as they will face off against Ridge Point in the annual Texas Jamboree this Saturday at Episcopal High School.
