Crusaders keep playoff hopes alive with 76-73 come-from-behind win against Middletown

MIDDLETOWN — The Crusaders travelled to Middletown to take on the Middies in a key OCIAA Division 1 showdown last Thursday, Feb. 1.
The Crusaders came into the game in need of a league victory to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The Middies had beaten the Crusaders earlier in the season 55-45.
The Middies got off to a 24-17 first quarter lead and then stretched that lead to 44-28 as the teams went into the half.
Down by 16 on the road against a tough Middletown team, the Crusaders' attempt at their second league victory looked like it had slipped away.
But Coach Dave Powers must have said something at the half or made some adjustments because it was not the same Crusader team that came out after the break.
The Crusaders slowly cut into the into the Middletown lead with Brandon Adams hitting six from the line to cut the lead by four by the end of the third quarter.
The momentum was beginning to swing toward the Crusaders.
In perhaps their best eight minutes of the season the Crusaders exploded. They played defense and forced turnovers. They grabbed rebounds and could not miss on the offensive end.
Brandon Adams took his game to another level as he scored 12 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter.
Jayson Ongondo scored 10 of his 15 and John McCormick 11 of his 14 in the second half to propel the Crusaders to victory.
The Crusaders 76-73 come-from-behind victory keeps their playoff hopes alive and brings their season record to 8-7 and 2-4 in OCIAA Division 1 play.
- William Dimmit