GOSHEN, Ind. - Goshen was down just four points to the #1 team in the NAIA at halftime on Saturday, but a strong offensive second half led Grace to a 15-0 record and a 108-78 win.
Goshen tied their season-best with 41 points in the first half. They also had five players finish in double figures. The Leafs were down double figures less than seven minutes into the game when Grace led 20-10. Their lead grew to as much as 17 in the first half, but Goshen brought it back down to three and only trailed by four at the half. A series of three three-pointers from
Max Smoker between 5:21 and 3:41 to go in the first half got the Maple Leafs crowd on their feet. He would finish with a season-high 13 points - more than his last seven games combined. With four made three-pointers on Saturday, he doubled his total made for the season.
Yet the Lancers found their rhythm in the second half and had six double-digit scorers of their own. They shot 65.8% in the second half as Elijah Malone led the way with 22 points.
Marcus Northern was Goshen's leading scorer with 17 points and four assists. In addition to him and Smoker, Goshen's other scorers with ten or more points were
Karson Jenkins,
Judah Simfukwe and
Josh Similien.
Goshen is at Spring Arbor on Wednesday, January 10, at 7:00 pm.