Clear Lake Falconhoops

How many times have the Clear Lake Falcons lost a game they should have won in the LaPorte gym? Probably 3 out of every 4. Add one more to the total. Wednesday, November 24, 2004, the Falcons saw once more how the LaPorte Bulldogs get fired up against the Falcons. The game started with Lake holding a slight lead until 2:10 left in the first half when a LaPorte trey put them up 24-22. Throughout the half Lake was in no hurry getting the ball down the court against LaPorte's press until the last minute of the half when a long pass from Armie Lewis to Gordon Abner led to a lay-up and a foul. An ugly first half closed at 27-24 in LaPorte’s favor. The second half started with Lake gaining the lead when Gordon Abner hit two free throws and Kendrell Thompson hit a jumper to make it LaPorte 27, Lake 28. A three by Brandon Wynn and a Kendrell lay-in made it 28-33 Lake. The lead changed hands three times before the quarter ended 44-41 LaPorte. Forty-five seconds into the fourth quarter Armie hit a trey to tie the score at 44. The lead see-sawed back and forth for four minutes until it knotted at 51-51. Then the Bulldogs scored 5 before a timely Mark Murphy lay-up. With LaPorte leading, the score at 56-53, and 55 seconds showing on the clock, G leaped up and snared a Bulldog pass. Now the excitement really, really had the crowd into the game. A layup by G made it 56-55 La Porte at the 42 second mark. Then another mark, Mark Murphy stole the ball with 20 seconds remaining. With 12.3 seconds showing on the clock, Gordon drove to the basket and was called for charging by a call that any good Clear Lake fan would call a stinker. But that was not the last time a call would determine the outcome of the game. With the clock stopped, just under 4 seconds left and LaPorte unable to inbound the ball in the requisite five seconds (on Clear Lake’s end of the court), the ref blew his whistle. But rather than call the 5 second infraction which would have given the ball to Clear Lake, he called a foul on Armie Lewis! LaPorte prevailed 56-55. File this one under "Games we should have won". For some, there is little doubt about Clear Lake's ability to beat this LaPorte team when the full Lake squad is in the gym. Many factors could have altered the outcome of this contest. This was the eighth game in eight days. That makes fatigue and bench strength and depth even more of a factor with any team. Sure, Lake has a more talented club but they got outhustled most of the game by a more determined LaPorte squad. Perhaps if Justin Kurtz or Jimmy Witten or Scott Oswald had been able to play, the outcome would surely have been different. If the Falcons had made another free throw (Lake barely made half their free throws). If Lake had received just one more favorable call late in the game, if the referees had not been quite so green (inexperienced), and if a frog had wings..... Scoring for the Falcons: Gordon Abner 13, Armie Lewis 13, Kendrell Thompson 13, Mark Murphy 8, Brandon Wynn 6, Lee Mazurek 2 2’s: 16 of 32 (50%) 3’s: 5 of 13 (38.5%) Ft’s: 8 of 14 (57%)