Crusaders Fall in Road Conference Game

Jenkintown, PA - Christendom Crusaders Men's Basketball faced off against the Manor College Bluejays in a challenging conference matchup on Saturday, February 1, eventually falling to Manor 74-55.

The first minutes of the game showed an even match between the Crusaders and Blue Jays. Manor put up the first score with a three-pointer. However, the Crusaders quickly responded with a layup by Daniel Schultz (Sophomore/ Fredericksburg, TX). Shultz stood out on offense throughout the game, adding two dunks and fourteen rebounds. Schultz continued to make an impact, giving the Crusaders their next points to bring the score to 5-4. At the 16th minute, Christendom stole the lead from their opponent with a basket by John Fowler (Sophomore/ Tempe, AZ). The game continued to be close with the lead switching possession, but a layup by Freshman Luke Ross (Freshman/ Tulsa, OK), temporarily gave the Crusaders the upper hand in the game. Despite Christendom's strong first half, Manor managed to pull away in the closing minutes, ending the half with a 37-29 lead.

Manor struck first again in the second half to extend their lead. Christendom's Ross responded with another layup to keep his team trailing close behind. The Blue Jays fought hard to maintain their advantage, but Shultz put up another basket, narrowing the gap to 49-45. Unfortunately, the Crusaders, hindered by injuries and a short bench, struggled to keep pace. With less than 7 minutes remaining, Christendom trailed by 9 points. A steal and bucket from Bobby Vander Woude (Junior/ Nokesville, VA) brought the deficit down to 5 points. The Crusaders could not capitalize on the momentum, allowing the bluejays to pull away once more. Although the game remained close for the majority of the time, the Crusaders ultimately fell short. The game came to an end with a final score of 74-55, the Blue Jays on top.  

Despite the loss, the Crusaders played an impressive game even though they suffered from many injuries and setbacks. 

Next Up: The Crusaders will host a conference match against division rival Williamson this Saturday, February 8, at 1pm.