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BANGOR – The hot place may not be freezing over, but years and years of fans who have screamed at Bob Cimbollek because of the deliberate style he espouses ought to pay attention to the Crusaders’ Friday 68-33 schoolboy basketball win over Ellsworth.
The John Bapst coach did three things Friday night that no one in the running, gunning world of high school hoops probably ever thought they’d see. And he did one thing that is quite common.
He told junior guard Mark Lockman to shoot from farther from the basket. He only had to say that once.
He told the Crusaders to push the ball up the floor. Several times.
And he refrained from saying the word “shuffle,” referring to the trademark Bapst offense, until 2:15 remained in the third quarter. That never happened again, either.
He also, commonly enough, posted another coldly efficient win. The 2-0 Crusaders shot 57 percent from the floor despite their newfound midtempo style.
Perhaps most chillingly, they did so despite a substitution scheme stolen from the hockey world, in which his team undergoes a wholesale changing of the guard every four minutes.
“I like [the split squad] because I get to play,” said designated shooter Lockman, who missed his first shot from inside the 3-point line, was reminded of his role by Cimbollek, and stepped out to make four straight long bombs after that.
Both Lockman and Cimbollek admit that the 5-foot, 8-inch junior’s playing time would be slashed in another system, in which he might be just a zone-buster.
“He’s never subbed before in his life,” Lockman said, chuckling.
Lockman finished with 12 points, as did teammate Billy Ford. Volker Tuettenberg finished with 11.
“[Lockman’s] better off shooting the 3 than he is a jump shot,” Cimbollek said. “When he comes off a screen, we don’t want him to go to the foul line like everyone else. Take two more steps.”
No Crusader took more than the eight shots Lockman mustered. In backing his coach’s logic, Lockman was 4-for-5 from behind the stripe and 0-for-3 inside it. In two games, he has nailed 11 of 13 3-point attempts [84.6 percent].
“This is the best group of athletes we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Cimbollek said. The coach has won three state titles with the Crusaders.
The Crusaders reeled off a 13-5 game-opening run against the 0-3 Eagles and were never challenged. First-year Ellsworth coach Dan Clifford said he wasn’t pleased by his team’s effort in the first half.
“I knew that John Bapst was very good. We’re a young team and a building team. But I didn’t expect us not to compete in the first half like we did,” he said.
Senior guard Phil Hodgkins netted 11 as the only Eagle to reach double figures.
The two-squad system worked to perfection against the Eagles, as the first five – not the best five, Cimbollek is quick to point out – played 16:21 and outscored the Eagles 29-13. The second five played the other 14:29 and earned a 39-20 edge.
Lockman said the Crusaders vigorous preseason slate puts them in midseason form earlier than most teams.
“We’ve played 11 preseason games, and we’re in game shape, ready to go,” he said. “I just don’t think they were as ready as we were.”
Crusaders 68, Eagles 33
Ellsworth boys (0-3) John Bapst (2-0)
Name G AG F AF TP Name G AG F AF TP
Johnston 1 8 0 0 2 Millard 0 1 0 0 0
Seltzer 2 6 0 0 5 Lockman 4 8 0 0 12
Sirois 0 1 0 0 0 Ward 3 4 0 0 7
Alley 0 0 2 2 2 Halber 3 5 1 1 7
McDonald 0 1 0 0 0 Ford 5 8 2 4 12
Higgins 1 5 0 0 3 Zmjtis-Brown 2 4 1 1 5
Hodgkins 4 10 0 0 11 Tremble 3 6 0 1 6
Lindsey 0 0 0 0 0 Staffiere 0 1 0 0 0
Donaldson 2 6 0 0 4 Tuettenberg 3 3 5 6 11
Conley 3 5 0 0 6 Mathien 1 3 2 3 4
Cochrane 0 1 0 0 0 Picard 2 3 0 0 4
Day 0 1 0 2 0
Totals 13 44 2 4 33 Totals 26 46 11 16 68
Ellsworth 7 14 24 33
John Bapst 20 37 50 68
3-pt. goals: Ellsworth (5-15): Johnston 0-3, Seltzer 1-3, Higgins 1-3, Hodgkins 3-6; John Bapst (5-6): Lockman 4-5, Ward 1-1
Preliminary: Ellsworth JVs 33, John Bapst 27
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