HOLMES TOWNSHIP — On Tuesday, the Colonel Crawford boys’ basketball team was voted the number one team in the state in Division III, by The Associated Press.
It was the first time in school history the Eagles earned the number one ranking.
Wednesday, Colonel Crawford took that top ranking for a spin, traveling to Wynford.
The unbeaten Eagles used an impressive defensive effort, got balanced scoring, and shot better than 50 percent from the floor in beating the Royals, 68-39.
With the win, Crawford improved to 11-0 in the Northern 10 Athletic Conference, 17-0 overall. Wynford fell to 3-7 in the conference, 4-11 overall.
Crawford used a solid defensive effort to drop the Royals, as Wynford hit just 16 of 43 shots from the floor for 37 percent.
“We did a great job,” Colonel Crawford coach David Sheldon said of his team’s defensive performance. “We held a great player in Jaron Filliater to six points. That’s team defense. We wanted to limit his touches and that’s what we did.”
Filliater scored all six points in the first half, as Crawford knocked down six of their 11 3-point shots in the final two periods. The Eagles led, 64-28, with 4:15 left in the game on a Braxton Baker 3, triggering a running clock.
“Tonight, they shot it really well,” Wynford coach Mike Smith said. “The first time they didn’t shoot it as well and we were able to stay with them a little bit.”
Crawford connected on 25 of 49 shots from the floor for 51 percent. Point guard Mason Studer led the Eagles with 23 points and Carter Valentine added 18 and Baker 13.
“We have three players in doubles and Nolan McKibben finished with eight,” Sheldon said. “I thought we shared the ball really well. That’s been the key to our success. We have a team that is very close, and they get along really well. When we share the ball, we’re really good.”
Crawford held a 16-7 lead after one period and led 35-14 at the break, as Studer scored 16 points in the first half.
Wynford did cut the Crawford lead to 47-27 after three periods.
Wynford sophomore post Sam McMillan led all scorers with 27 points and scored all 12 of Wynford’s points in the final frame.
No other Wynford player scored more than six.
“He plays fearless,” Sheldon said of McMillan. “He can put it on the floor, and he can step out and hit the 3. He’s a good player and he hurt us. Our defense was focused on limiting Filliater and he played very well.”
Smith said that his sophomore post showed what he can do against the best in the N10.
“Sam is not intimidated at all,” Smith said. “He attacked the basket and we needed four more of our guys to do that. He’s really gonna be good.
“I thought we competed better in the second half. We played harder, too,” Smith added.
Smith said that the Eagles’ balance makes them tough to beat.
“They don’t really have a weakness at all,” Smith said of the Eagles. “When they distribute the ball and find the open player, they are very difficult to defend.
“We were trying to chase Studer and Valentine, and their role players hurt us,” Smith added. “That’s what makes them so tough to defend.”
Colonel Crawford won the junior varsity game, 42-28. Ethan Holt and Trevor Vogt led the Eagles with 13 points. Ashton Warren scored eight points for the Royals.
Box score
Colonel Crawford 16 19 12 21 — 68
Wynford 7 7 13 12 — 39
Colonel Crawford (17-0, 11-0 N10): Shots 25-49; 3-pt shots 11 (Mason Studer 4, Braxton Baker 3, Nolan McKibben 2, Carter Valentine 2); Free throws 7-7; Rebounds 26; Turnovers 6. Scoring: Mason Studer 8 3 23, Derek Horsley 1 0 2, Braxton Baker 5 0 13, Nolan McKibben 3 0 8, Carter Valentine 6 4 18, Jacob Maddy 2 0 4.
Wynford (4-11, 3-7 N10): Shots 16-43; 3-pt. shots 4 (Sam McMillan 3, James Schiefer); Free throws 3-7; Rebounds 21; Turnovers 14. Scoring: Avery Langenderfer 0 1 1, James Schiefer 2 0 5, Sam McMillan 11 2 27, Jaron Filliater 3 0 6.
JV: Colonel Crawford 42-28.