The penultimate game of the inaugural Holiday Hardwood Classic featured two teams off to great starts this season, with the 6-1 Anderson Raptors of the ECC battling 7-0 Madeira from the CHL.
The game opened with a 7-2 Anderson run before Madeira senior big man Conner Cravaack, who entered the game averaging 20.1 points per game, earned a few quick buckets and an AJ Rockwell three-pointer tied the game. Ultimately, Cravaack nailed a three-pointer in the final few seconds to give Madeira a 14-13 lead at the end of one.
The second quarter started similarly to the first, with Anderson scoring the first six points of the quarter to reclaim the lead. but Madeira once again rallied to tie the score. Anderson's Nick Engel hit a three-pointer with just two seconds remaining in the half to give the Raptors a 26-23 lead heading into the break.
Anderson upped the defensive pressure early in the third quarter and it paid immediate dividends as the Raptors began the frame on a 12-2 run before a timeout by Madeira. The Mustangs continued to turn the ball over, and it led to baskets for Anderson, whose lead ballooned to 50-34 at the end of the third quarter.
The fourth quarter started slow, with neither team scoring for the first minute-and-a-half, but Anderson's defensive pressure once again led to easy baskets on the other end. The game quickly became out-of-hand (if it wasn't already) after yet another 11-4 Anderson run. Ultimately, the Raptors knocked Madeira from the unbeaten, beating the Mustangs 61-47.
Anderson senior guard Nick Engel was named the Beacon/TriHealth Player of the Game for his efforts in the Raptor victory.
Up next, Anderson will head to Lebanon on Friday, Jan. 3 while Madeira will visit New Richmond on the same day.
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