Game Recaps

Saturday, March 5
LAINGSBURG -- Faith Baptist of Davison defeated Calvary Baptist 66-59 Saturday for its second straight Michigan Association of Christian Schools Division 1 state basketball title at Laingsburg High School. Faith also beat CBA in last year's final. "I was happy with the way we handled pressure," CBA coach John VanHolstyn said. "They responded well to Faith's pressure defense and the pressure of playing in a big game." Faith broke a 16-16 tie late in the first and led 18-16 heading into the second. The game remained close for most of the way. CBA led 33-32 at halftime but Faith tied the score 46-46 at the end of the third quarter. "I was most proud of our transition game and I was also very pleased defensively," VanHolstyn said. "It got down to the end of the third quarter, and I told the guys it was eight minutes for the championship." Fouls and turnovers hurt the Kings in the fourth quarter as Faith scored 10 points from the free throw line. CBA was 4 of 5 in that span. Faith tied the game 51-51 with 4:05 remaining and would never trail again. "We turned the ball over a couple times down there at the end and we just didn't execute as far as getting into the offense and getting inside to the basket," VanHolstyn said. Both teams shot well from the floor, with CBA hitting 49 percent (23 of 47) and Faith 42 percent (21 of 50). The difference in the game was from the free throw line, where Faith was 17 of 30 and CBA just 8 of 16. Terry Kubczak scored 13 points, followed by Craig Miller with 11. Stephen Matson and Tyler Davenport each scored nine. Mark Nilssen led the team with 14 rebounds and also scored eight points. Davenport had four steals, while Miller added 12 rebounds and four steals. CBA outrebounded Faith 37-21 for the game. Dan Andres led four Faith players in double figures with 18 points. "I thanked the seniors because they worked hard all year in practice and showed some leadership in our games," VanHolstyn said. "We went 6-0 in our conference and they've gotten to the state championship game two years in a row." CBA ends the season 13-6, while Faith ends 15-8.

Saturday, Dec. 4
CLARKSTON -- Calvary Baptist Academy lost an 18-point halftime lead and fell to Faith Baptist of Davison 52-47 in a tournament consolation game in Clarkston.
CBA led 28-10 at halftime, but were out-scored 26-9 in the third quarter and 16-10 in the final period.
Terry Kubczak led the team with 11 points and nine rebounds. Mark Nilssen scored 10 points and Craig Miller nine in the loss. Stephen Matson scored eight points, while grabbing six rebounds and finishing with five assists. Matson left the game early in the fourth with an ankle injury.
For Faith, Mike Salzano scored 20 points and Dan Andres 18. Andres' three 3-point baskets in the third quarter sparked the comeback for Faith.
CBA falls to 1-2 on the season and hosts Fellowship Christian of Carson City Friday.

Friday, Dec. 3
CLARKSTON -- Lansing Area Home School's basketball team turned up the pressure and rallied to beat Calvary Baptist Academy 68-66 in the Springfield Christian Tournament on Friday.
CBA led 49-42 after three quarters, but Lansing Area outscored the Kings 26-17 in the fourth.
"They put some defensive pressure on the ball, and we turned it over," said CBA coach John VanHolstyn, noting that LAHS scored most of its fourth-quarter points on the fast break. "Basically how we lost the game was our inability to get the ball up the floor. When we were able to get the ball up the floor (earlier in the game), we were able to score in the post."
Lansing Area's Rich Pomales scored 13 of his team-high 20 points in the fourth, while Virgil Pickney added 15 points.
CBA's Stephen Matson led all scorers with 27 points to go with five rebounds and three assists. Terry Kubczak had 13 points, nine boards, and six steals for the Kings, while Craig Miller added 12 points and 10 rebounds and Paul Reece three assists.
"Early games are sometimes ugly, and we kind of anticipated (struggling)," VanHolstyn noted, adding of LAHS, "And they're a very scrappy team. They're not real talented, but they are scrappy."
CBA (1-1) concludes tournament play today at 1 p.m. against Faith Baptist of Davison in the third-place game.

Thursday, Dec. 2
CLARKSTON -- The Calvary Baptist Academy basketball team opened its season Thursday with a 57-51 win over Stateline Christian School in a tournament at Springfield Christian.
The game was part of an eight-team tournament featuring seven teams from Michigan and one from Cleveland. CBA coach John VanHolstyn expected a tough game in his team's season opener, especially considering CBA's recent lack of success against the Patriots. The win over Stateline was the Kings' first in more than a decade.
"I've been coaching 21 years and Stateline has beaten me a lot of times, so this is a sweet one for me," VanHolstyn said. "We haven't beaten them in something like 15 years."
CBA trailed after the first quarter 13-8, but closed the gap to just two by halftime 25-23. Stephen Matson was temporarily held scoreless, picking up three fouls in the first half, but returned to score a team-high 13 points in the second half as the Kings took over.
CBA outscored the Patriots 34-26 in the second half to seal the win."It was close down there at the end. They're a well-coached and disciplined team," VanHolstyn said.
Terry Kubczak also scored 13 points for the Kings and Mark Nilssen 11. Craig Miller led the team with 10 rebounds and four steals. Nilssen had eight rebounds and Paul Reece six assists. Stateline's Nick Owens led all players with 24 points, while teammate Nick Abalos added 18.
CBA continues tournament play in Clarkston tonight at 8 p.m. against the Springfield Christian/Lansing Homeschool winner.

Craig Miller of Calvary Baptist Academy reaches to block a pass from Faith Baptist's Larry Nagengast during the Michigan Association of Christian Schools' division I championship game at Laingsburg High School Saturday.

Calvary Baptist's Stephen Matson, left, and Juniata Christian's Sam Uhl drive for a loose ball during a basketball game at Calvary Baptist Academy.