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Faith Christian Eagles Boys Basketball 2011-12 Season Faith vs Engelwood Eagles Sink Pirates With Smothering Defensive Effort Jan. 28th Despite a sloppy start, marked by turnovers and poor shooting, Faith Christian did what it does best, and employed their patented stifling defense against a scrappy Englewood Pirate’s team, who was desperately hoping to grab attention from the 4A ceding committee in their effort against the Eagles. Faith opened a tenuous 9-8 first quarter advantage, but held the Pirates to a mere 3 points in the second quarter and stretched their halftime lead to 21-12. In the third quarter, Faith turned up the defensive effort even more, pressuring Englewood into several key turnovers that led to Eagle transition baskets. Midway through the third quarter, Nathan Rindels converted 2 consecutive baskets and three free throws to extend the Eagle lead to 35 – 17. The 12-0 run essentially removed any remaining drama from the contest, however, was costly for the Eagles as Rindels (14 points) left the game with an ankle injury and sat out the remaining 9:43 of the contest. Throughout the fourth quarter, the Eagles managed the game with patient offensive looks and solid zone containment, which led to the final 43-29 victory. Adam Finnefrock contributed 8 points and 4 assists along with solid on-ball defense. Alex Buchman contributed 6 points and 7 rebounds, as he remained active on the boards throughout the contest. Derek McCartney added 7 rebounds of his own, and effectively held Englewood’s leading scorer Jamel Crocker to 9 points, 11 below his average. With the win, Faith Christian moves to 13-1 on the year 4-0 in league, while Englewood dropped to 7-7, 2-3 in league. Faith resumes league play on Tuesday against the Manual Thunderbolts at home.
Faith vs Machebeuf Faith Boys Defeat Bishop Machebeuf 63-49 Jan. 26th Fueled by a passion to improve their offensive production, the Faith Christian Eagles opened the game hitting on all cylinders in the paint. Derek McCartney hit early shots inside(14 points), while Nathan Rindels (20 points and 6 assists) and Adam Finnefrock (8 points and 6 assists) also contributed penetrating assists to a host of open Eagles under the basket. Faith opened a 16- 9 first quarter advantage. However, both teams continued to shoot the ball well throughout the second quarter and Machebeuf found themselves down 34-24 at the half. Faith continued to push the pace offensively, building a comfortable 51-34 lead after three quarters. From that point on, the outcome was never in doubt. Derek McCartney and his teammates held Machebeuf’s leading scorer, Jordan Madrid-Andrews to only 10 points on the night, well below his average. Alex Buchman and Trevor Wolf led the Eagle rebounding effort with 7 and 6 respective. Wolf also chipped in 6 points off of the bench. Faith’s win keeps them undefeated in league and ranked number 1 in 3A. Faith vs Jefferson Academy Eagles Escape Jaguar’s Clutches 42-40 Jan. 21st Jefferson Academy played as if they had a score to settle with the Faith Christian boys basketball team after losing in the March 2011, 3A title game nine months ago. In case anyone had forgotten the significance of this game, the JA public address announcer, before introducing the starting line-ups, reminded everyone that in JA’s eyes, this contest was to be a rematch of last year’s title game. JA opened the game with tremendous defensive intensity, and committed themselves to pressuring Faith Christian’s leading scorer, Nathan Rindels, on every offensive possession. To that end, the Jaguars were successful, packing the paint with three defenders every time Rindels attempted to drive the lane. The result worked out beautifully for the Jags as they were able to limit Rindels to an icy 2/13 shooting performance. However, JA failed to account for several other key contributors, Christian Cambier and Spencer Bazz who chipped in 15 and 7 points respectively to lead the Eagles to a dramatic 42-40 win at Jefferson Academy. After a physical first quarter, which saw both teams battle to a 9-9 tie, the Jags forged a slim 20-17 advantage at the half on the strength of Sophomore, Bryson Sharply’s 11 first half points. Sharply finished the game with 15. Throughout the first half, Rindels found himself in heavy traffic that impeded his ability to finish at the rim. Concurrently, his teammates also struggled hitting shots, and the Eagles as a team shot a frigid 26% from the floor. Faith made some offensive adjustments entering the second half that allowed Rindels, Adam Finnefrock (4 assists) and Christian Cambier to drive the lane and dish inside to Derek McCartney (4 Points) and Freshman Spencer Bazz (7 Points), who finished strong at the glass. However, JA also hit several key shots in the fourth quarter to increase their lead to 38-31 with 4.5 minutes left in the game. At that point Faith employed a trapping full court press that generated several key turnovers. Christian Cambier went to work hitting 2 lay-ups and three huge three pointers down the stretch. After the Eagles had tied the score at 38 – 38, Bryson Sharply drove the lane, and hit a difficult runner, giving the Jags the lead and their fans confidence in the impending upset. With 1:45 left on the clock Faith came down and patiently ran their dribble drive offensive set. Anthony Miller, who had entered the game moments earlier when Adam Finnefrock fouled out, drove the lane, was stopped by 2 defenders and kicked the ball out to Christian Cambier, who knocked down a wide open three point basket from the top of the key, giving the Eagles a tenuous 41-40 advantage. Faith forced a missed shot on the next possession, with Christian Cambier coming up with the loose ball, getting fouled and hitting 1 of 2 free throws to extend the lead to 42-40. After another stop, Nathan Rindels grabbed a monster rebound, was fouled, but missed the front end of the one and one, setting the stage for one final possession for the Jags. Once again Bryson Sharply drove the lane against Derek McCartney and Christian Cambier, but with 1 second remaining his highly contested shot banged off of the iron and was secured by the Eagles. Coach Hasz said, “I was really proud of our guys for overcoming all kinds of adversity this afternoon, and for proving to themselves that they are capable of playing from behind to regain a lead.” This win keeps Faith atop the 3A rankings at 11-1, and tied for first in the Metro league with a 2-0 record. They will retake the hardwood on Thursday, January 26th, against league foe, Machebeuf. Faith vs Colorado Academy Faith Defeats Colorado Academy on New Hardwood 60-34 Jan. 19th On a long awaited night in which the Faith Christian boy’s basketball team was able to play their first home game on the newly installed hardwood floor, all of the Eagles looked extremely comfortable as they dominated Colorado Academy 60 – 34. Nathan Rindels led all scorers with 18 points, 16 of them coming on torrid 7/10 shooting in the first half. Faith applied its patented man to man defensive pressure as they forced CA into 25 turnovers that led to 20 Faith Christian transition points. The Eagles built a comfortable 36 - 14 half-time lead, which allowed Coach Hasz to substitute liberally throughout the second half. In what has become a team tradition of appreciation over the past several years, the team manager was allowed to suit up for one game each year. This year for this game, Danny Graves was the beneficiary of the opportunity, as he made his way on to the court with less than 3 minutes left in the game. Much to the delight of the FCA student section, Graves connected on his first attempt of the evening, a three point basket that caught nothing but net. Graves hit another 2 point field goal near the end of the contest to finish his night, with 5 points. Derek McCartney tallied 8 points, while Spencer Bazz and Anthony Miller each chipped in 7 points to round out a balanced Eagle attack. The win improved Faith Christian’s record to 1-0 within the metro league, 10-1 on the season.
Faith vs Thompson Valley Faith Weathers Cold Shooting to Defeat Thompson Valley Jan. 14th Despite making only one basket in the entire first quarter and finding themselves trailing the Thompson Valley Eagles 7-2, the Faith Christian Eagles never stopped playing aggressive man defense throughout the contest, which enabled them to battle from behind to secure a gritty 49-38 victory. Nathan Rindels once again led all scorers in the game posting 24 points on a frigid 4/14 shooting night from the field. However, Rindels contributed 16/17 free throws to provide much needed Eagle offense. Thompson Valley opened the game by effectively applying full court pressure, which resulted in 4 early Faith Christian turnovers along with several missed lay-ups. However, in the second quarter Rindel’s basket attacks created opportunities for himself and his teammates. Alex Buchman chipped in 8 points on the night along with Christian Cambier’s 7 including a three point basket that pushed the Eagles into a lead that they never relinquished in the second quarter. Derek McCartney also contributed 5 inside points along with 4 rebounds. However, on a night in which the Faith shot an icy 12/34 (35%) from the field and committed an uncharacteristically high 18 turnovers, defense was essential. At one point from the beginning of the second quarter into the third quarter, the Eagles created a 26-7 run that allowed them to regain the lead and open up a 12 point margin over Thompson Valley that they would never relinquish. In addition to their stifling defense, Faith won the battle of the boards, led by Nathan Rindells’ 8 rebounds. With several injured players, who were unable to compete on Saturday, the Eagles are looking to get healthy as they take on Colorado Academy Thursday, January 19th in the inaugural game on the new home hardwood floor. With the win Faith improved their record to 9-1, while 4A Thompson Valley dropped to 6-6. Coach Andrew Hasz noted, “I was sure glad to see us be able to weather significant adversity tonight with the injuries we sustained along with a cold shooting night. Our defense saved us tonight.” Faith vs Ridgeview Eagles Corale Rams Jan. 12th
Faith was able to generate numerous transition baskets as they ran the floor with abandon, and built a 34-20 half time lead. Ridgeview also created several transition baskets as well in the second half and closed the deficit from 25 to 20 late in the game. However, throughout the second half Ridgeview could never seriously challenge the high speed Eagle attack. In addition to Rindels and McCartney, Christian Cambier contributed 8 points including 1 three-point field goal. Alex Buchman and Adam Finnefrock each added 6 for the Eagles. With the win, Faith improved their record to 8-1, while Ridgeview fell to 1-10. Faith vs Platte Valley Short Handed Eagles Tame Broncos Jan. 7th
Nathan Rindels led the Eagles with 19 first half points, 23 on the night, as he shredded Bronco defenders off of the dribble to score at the rim, and then drained 3/6 three point bombs. Rindels finished the night with an efficient 9-15 60% from the field, while also contributing 5 assists and 6 rebounds. Trailing by 19 points late in the third quarter, Platte Valley surged to life with a buzzer beating three point basket at quarter’s end. Seizing the momentum, the Broncos managed to cut the Eagle lead to 9 mid way into the 4th quarter, before Faith’s patient offense and swarming defense allowed them to regain control of the game and eventually seal a solid 55-39 win. Despite being overmatched in terms of size, the Eagles did a remarkable job controlling the battle of the boards 20-14. Faith generated an impressive 8 offensive rebounds that led to second chance points. Alex Buchman contributed 8 points on 4/6 shooting from the field; Christian Cambier added 7 points and 7 assists; Trever Wolf notched 6 points and 3 rebounds. Platte Valley’s Greg Jones led the Broncos with 16 points, all inside of the paint. This win moves Faith Christian’s record to 7-1 and keeps them atop the 3A rankings, while Platte Valley drops to 5-3 on the year. The Eagles will play at Ridgeview Academy on Thursday, January 12th Faith vs Eaton Eagles Defense Squeezes Reds Dec. 17th
Nathan Rindel’s 23 points and 9 rebounds led all scorers in the game. Alex Buchman tallied 8 points, primarily in the paint; while Anthony Miller and Derek McCartney each added 7 points. The Eagles shot an uninspiring 36% from the field, hitting only 3 of 13 shots from three-point range. No Eaton player notched more than 6 points on the afternoon. The win moves Faith Christian to 5-1 overall with only one more game before the Christmas break at D’Evelyn on Tuesday, December 20th. Number 10 Eaton drops to 4-2 on the season. This game also marked the final game on the old floor as a new wood floor is scheduled to be installed over the Christmas break. Eagles Finish 3rd in Christian Cup Tournament Dec. 8th-10th For the first time in school history, a Faith Christian athletic team traveled out of state for an in-season tournament. The boy’s basketball team joined seven other teams from around the country as they competed in the inaugural Christian Cup Tournament held in Gilbert Arizona. Faith opened the tournament against Valley Christian, who was a 3A finalist in last year’s Arizona State Tournament. The Eagles started strong led by Nathan Rindel’s 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. Faith opened a 42 – 35 lead after three quarters, but the Trojans stormed back to regain the lead 49 – 48 with 50 seconds remaining. Rindels then drove the length of the court and threaded the needle on a perfect pass to Alex Albright, who hit what proved to be the game winner from 6 feet out on the baseline, giving the Eagles a 49-48 advantage. After a defensive stop, Rindels cashed 2 free throws, sealing the win. Derek McCartney added 7 points and 7 rebounds, while Alex Buchman chipped in 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 steals to key a strong defensive effort by Faith Christian.
In the semifinal round played on Friday, December 9th, Faith faced the host school Gilbert Christian, who finished second in Arizona’s 1A division last year. Once again Faith came out strong in the first quarter building a 10-4 lead, before Gilbert Christian unleashed a barrage of three point field goals. Gilbert then surged ahead on the strength of several transition lay-ups. Faith experienced frigid shooting through the second and third quarters, struggling to finish inside shots and perimeter threes. Heading into the fourth quarter, the Eagles trailed 52 – 36. However, Faith then employed a smaller line-up that implemented an aggressive full court, man to man defense that pressured Gilbert Christian into several turnovers and led to an Eagle run. The Eagles also ran a spread offense that opened up attack lanes for Nathan Rindels and Adam Finnefrock. Rindels finished the game with 23 points including two 3’s, 6 rebounds and 7 assists. Derek McCartney hit 11 points in heavy traffic and pulled 8 boards, while Christian Cambier broke out of a shooting slump, hitting 12 points on 3 three-point field goals. While the Eagles did cut the lead to 8 points, they could get no closer before time ran out. The Eagles suffered their first loss of the season 70- 58.
On Saturday, Faith matched up with Horizon Christian, who are consecutive Oregon 3A state champions over the past 2 years. Once again, Faith jumped to an early 10 – 4 lead on the strength of strong outside shooting, but found themselves down 23-19 at the half. In the second half, the Eagle shooters, led by Christian Cambier’s 5 three point field goals, lit up the nets. Faith’s full court pressure created turnovers and transition baskets as well and enabled the Eagles to turn a 4 point half time deficit into a 4 point lead at the end of the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Faith managed possessions with a deliberate offensive attack and hit free throws to seal a hard fought 50 – 39 victory. Christian Cambier led all scorers with 17 points, while Nathan Rindels contributed 16 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. With these wins, Faith moved to 4-1 on the year and will continue play at home against the Eaton Reds on Saturday, December 17th. On the strength of his excellent overall play throughout the three game tournament, Nathan Rindels was named to the All Tournament Team.
Faith vs Fossil Ridge Faith Holds off 5A Fossil Ridge 62-56 Dec. 5th
After weathering the long distance Sabercat bombing attack, the Eagles regrouped defensively during the intermission and redoubled their efforts to close out shooters. The adjustment was effective in slowing down the sharpshooting Cody McCoy, who had posted 19 first half points. A collection of Eagle defenders led by Alex Buchman pressured McCoy relentlessly, holding him to only 6 second half points. Faith’s combination of defensive intensity and remarkable offensive production from Nathan Rindels, who finished with 30 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists for the contest, enabled the Eagles to forge a tenuous 44-43 third quarter advantage. Led by Rindels 14/14 Free throws, Alex Albright’s contribution of 12 points from the baseline and Derek McCartney’s strong inside finishes (11 points, 8 rebounds), allowed the Eagles to open as much as an 8 point lead in the fourth quarter. Faith managed the clock well, hit their free throws and came up with key defensive stops down the stretch to secure a sweet 62-56 victory over Fossil Ridge. With the win the Eagles move to 2-0 on the season and will travel to Arizona this week for the first annual Christian Cup Tournament. Faith will open against Valley Christian from Chandler, AZ. Christian schools from Delaware, Oregon, Nevada and Arizona will be competing in an 8 team tournament from December 8-10th. Faith vs Mountain View Eagles Tame Mountain View Lions Dec. 1st
Faith capitalized on 20 Lion turnovers, which produced transition baskets for the Eagles. early on, the Eagle defense smothering Mountain View as they jumped to a 19-5 first quarter lead. The Lions, led by Mike Orrantia’s 14 points drew to a 40-21 half time deficit, but could come no closer throughout the second half. With the loss, 4A Mountain View falls to 0-2 on the season, while Faith Christian moves to 1-0 with their next game against Fossil Ridge on Monday, December 5th. Fossil Ridge was a 5A quarterfinalist in 2011. |
On a night in which the gym temperature felt near the freezing point, Faith Christian’s hot shooting enabled them to build an early lead and cruise through the remainder of the game to a decisive 63-42 win. 4A Ridgeview seemed overmatched as they could not contain Eagle guard Nathan Rindels, who posted a “quiet” 28 points (9 rebounds and 5 assists), many of which came in transition. Derek McCartney went to work in the low block to post 12 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists, as he registered his second double – double of the season.
Playing without three injured players, the Faith Christian Eagles still throttled their Patriot League rival Platte Valley Broncos 55 – 39 in the first game of the 2012 calendar year. The Eagles were missing starting post player Derek McCartney along with Alex Albright and Austin O’Donnell due to injuries on Saturday, January 7th in the non-league game played at Ralston Valley High School. Despite all of these obstacles Faith Christian exploded with an 18-8 second quarter outburst to build a 31- 20 half time advantage.
After a wild first quarter that saw Eaton come out on fire and build a 16-14 advantage, Faith’s boys intensified their defensive pressure and held the Reds to 1 point in the second quarter en route to a 19-1 run and a 33-17 half time advantage. Eaton hit two quick threes as the second half began, but the Eagle defense once again ramped up their full court pressure and held the Reds to only 8 more points in the game to close out a decisive 51-31 victory.
Heading back to Ft. Collins for a rematch with the Fossil Ridge Sabercats, the only team to defeat Faith Christian in the 2010-2011 season (in overtime), created more than a little early season drama. Led by Senior Cody McCoy, (25 points, 3 assists) the Sabercats opened the contest firing on all cylinders. Fossil Ridge hit 5/5 three-point field goals in the first half to forge a 31-27 half time advantage over the short handed Eagles. Eagle starting point guard Adam Finnefrock was unable to play this power match–up due to a knee injury.
While cold, snowy conditions prevailed outside; Faith Christian ignited the gym with a torrid shooting performance, hitting 65% of their field goal attempts en route to a 76-45 season opening home victory over the Mountain View Lions on December 3rd. Senior Nathan Rindels led the Eagle attack posting 27 points including 4 three-point baskets, 4 assists and 4 rebounds. Freshman, Spencer Bazz chipped in 11 points in only 8 minutes of action in his first varsity game. Alex Buchmann hit 9 points, while Trevor Wolf notched 8 points in the decisive Eagle win.
