Deep bench steps in for Churchill.

Byline: Curtis Anderson The Register-Guard

SPRINGFIELD - Churchill moved into sole possession of first place in the Midwestern League with a 52-48 victory over Springfield on Friday night.

But that was the only piece of good news that Lancers coach Larry Williams was able to glean from a tightly contested boys basketball game in which both teams finished with the same number of field goals (19) and free throws (seven).

The difference was Churchill made seven three-pointers compared with just three for the Millers.

`I'm happy we got the win, but I would have liked to have seen us play with more discipline,' Williams said. `We could have done a number of things better.'

The Lancers improved to 11-7 overall and 8-1 in league to remain a half-game ahead of idle South Eugene (7-1) and one game in front of North Eugene (7-2). Springfield, which was hoping to join the title contenders, instead slipped to 5-4 and a tie with Marshfield in fourth place.

Williams' frustration was reflected in his substitution pattern as Churchill's second unit played the majority of the second half. Sophomore Andrew Schumacher led the Lancers with 15 points, but the team's other four starters combined for just eight points, including two in the second half.

`We're fortunate to have a deep bench,' Williams said. `I was able to send out the entire second unit, and they played like I knew they would. Most of them could start on any given night, and they always come to practice with that mind-set.'

Springfield's largest lead came at the 4:49 mark of the third quarter when sophomore Miles Haley scored eight consecutive points to give the Millers a 40-35 edge.

But then Springfield began to tire.

The Millers misfired on seven consecutive possessions, which allowed Churchill to crawl back in front, 43-40, on a three-pointer by sophomore Van Dellenback-Ouellete, who scored all eight of his points in the second half.

Then the game took a scary turn.

With 8.5 seconds left in the period, Haley drove hard to the basket and collided in midair with Churchill's Corey Glidden. Both players tumbled to the floor, and Haley lay motionless for several minutes before he was helped into the locker room.

Although B.J. Shaw stepped in and made both free throws to pull the Millers within one point, 43-42, Haley was done for the night, and Springfield's offense never recovered.

`Miles is a big part of what we do, and without him they were able to put pressure on our other shooters,' said Millers coach Dusty Auxier, who indicated that Haley suffered a probable concussion when he hit the floor. `We stopped running our plays and we got stagnant. We also stopped blocking out and they got too many offensive rebounds.'

Neither team could find the range in the fourth period.

The Lancers made just 2-of-10 from the floor and 5-of-10 from the line, while the Millers were even worse at 1-of-10 from the field and 3-of-7 from the line.

The score was tied at 45-45 with 2:18 remaining when the Lancers slowly pulled away on a pair of free throws by Chris Mackovjak, a clutch drive to the basket with 40 seconds left by Schumacher and two more free throws from Dellenback-Ouellete to give Churchill a 51-45 edge.

The Millers' Bo Shrum, who finished with 14 points, nailed a three-pointer with nine seconds left, but it was too little, too late.

Marshfield 62, Willamette 61

Norm Holcome scored 20 points and Nick McKelvey added 15 to lead the Pirates. Teammate Matt Erickson contributed 10 points.

Marshfield led 49-42 after three quarters, but Willamette rallied to take a one-point lead midway through the fourth period. The Pirates recovered to lead 62-58 in the final seconds before the Wolverines hit a three-pointer at the buzzer.

Andy Williams scored 23 points for Willamette.

Sheldon 47, Thurston 45

SPRINGFIELD - Alex Besaw had 20 points and Blake Poole added 13 to lead the Irish.

Sheldon led 40-35 after three quarters and held off a late Thurston rally that ended when the Colts' Jason Bell scored a three-pointer with three seconds left.

Bell finished with 22 points and Cory Boffing added nine.

North Eugene 78, Lebanon 51

Alex Brock had 20 points, and Brian Conklin and Andrew Miller each added 15 to lead the Highlanders.

Andrew Hookland chipped in 13 points for North.

Keith Truett paced the Warriors with 11 points.