City of Basketball Love

Michael Bullock (@thebullp_n)
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HERSHEY — Those wondering whether spontaneous combustion actually exists — or it’s simply one of those ruses concocted in some obscure laboratory that leads to a popular reality TV show — would have received confirmation Thursday night.

All they had to was watch Lancaster Catholic’s suddenly hot Crusaders shoot … and shoot … and shoot the basketball as the fourth quarter unfolded.

And it wasn’t just one of Joe Klazas’ talented youngsters that suddenly started feeling it when crunch time finally arrived, it was several of them that detonated.

Simultaneously, of course.

Sean Landis cranked out a double-double (26 points/14 rebounds), Jon Ware finished with 24 and defensive stopper Mark Cannon collected 17 as Lancaster Catholic caught up to and eventually passed Middletown 86-78 in overtime in the championship game of the District 3 Class 4A tournament Thursday night at Giant Center.

Landis, Ware and Cannon combined for 44 points from the fourth quarter on, as the Lancaster-Lebanon League postseason champs fought back from a pair of seven-point deficits in the final six-plus minutes, forged extra play and won it in OT.

“We use the term a lot — ‘Confidence grows’ — and when one of them makes some plays, it builds confidence throughout the team,” Klazas revealed.

“Everyone stepped up and followed that lead.”

Danny Bomberger also cracked double figures by collecting 10 points for the Crusaders (24-4), who claimed their first District 3 title since 2011 and their third overall.

Klazas’ bunch will open state play against West Philly, District 12’s fourth seed.

Luke Mrakovich scored 22 points and Tre Leach chimed in with 20 for Middletown (20-5) — the Blue Raiders will meet District 4’s third-place team, Danville or Athens, when states open — which was holding a 53-46 lead with five-plus minutes to go.

By that time, the percolating Crusaders had almost reached a full boil.

Lancaster Catholic, in fact, canned its first eight looks of the fourth quarter.

“Coach has confidence in us,” Cannon said. “He keeps telling us over there. He tells us this and we practice situations, so we just have confidence.”

Cannon had 11 by himself in the fourth — including nine from beyond the arc — the last three arriving on a triple in the final minute following a Landis offensive board.

“After the first or second shot, my teammates just kept feeding me,” said Cannon.

“So I just kept going with it.”

Maybe a new tag is in store for the 6-1 senior, typically Catholic’s stopper on defense.

“I don’t know,” a grinning Cannon cracked. “I’ll let you guys do whatever you do, but either way I’m just really happy right now.”

“Mark Cannon, he’s been our defensive guy,” Klazas continued. “But we needed him in some clutch situations and he hit some huge shots for us.”

“Mark and Coach have had conversations about having confidence and he’ll make the shots when it matters,” Landis said. “And he stepped up and made them tonight."

Ware added eight points down the stretch, while Landis tacked on six.

“Jon played an incredible game,” said Klazas of his 5-11 senior lead guard, who added six assists and three boards before fouling out in OT.

He doesn’t get enough recognition throughout the league and throughout the district, but he can certainly finish plays, he handles the ball extremely well, he can defend.

“Not only did he finish plays tonight, but he had some great assists,” Klazas continued.

“Jon’s always great,” Cannon added.

Cannon’s score had the Crusaders up momentarily (64-62) until Ryan Hughes (17 points) drove the left edge of the paint and collected the equalizer at the 15.2 mark.

Lancaster Catholic had one last chance in regulation, but Ware fumbled the ball and was tied up with 2.2 to go — the arrow pointing toward the Lancaster-Lebanon League side. OT was in store, however, once Chad Wenger’s rip glanced off the rim.

Catholic dominated OT, outscoring the Blue Raiders 22-14 as Landis rang up 13 points, Cannon bagged yet another trey and reserve Miles McCaskey went 3-for-4 at the line.

Thanks to some terrific finishing from halftime on — Lancaster Catholic was 24-for-37 from the field after the break and 16-for-21 once the fourth quarter began — Klazas’ bunch went into full celebration mode. Not bad for a resourceful group that didn’t win its L-L Section 3 title yet rebounded to win the L-L’s postseason championship.

And, of course, a District 3 Class 5A title followed.

“Unfortunately, we didn’t win our Section, but to come and win the league and then win the district, it’s incredible,” said a reveling Klazas.

The Crusaders’ white-hot shooting also forced Middletown to scrap the nasty 1-3-1 zone Chris Sattele’s club extended the length of the court from the opening tip on — the Blue Raiders were trapping ballhandlers as well whenever possible — essentially to prevent Catholic from running roughshod on the glass and keeping Ware out of the paint.

For a while, it worked.

“They sent it out a little bit farther than we expected them to,” Landis said. “We went over it in practice and we weren’t expecting them to get up and pressure that much, so we weren’t ready for it but we got used to it and adapted.”

Once the Crusaders warmed and started bagging looks from the corners — Bomberger had a pair of treys in the third quarter — Middletown tried something else. Yet by that time, due to some climbing foul totals, the Blue Raiders were in trouble.

Eventually, Catholic’s players had their long-awaited gold medals.

“It’s a great day to be a Crusader,” Landis said. “Lot of roots here and just a lot of fun.”

“It’s a dream come true,” Cannon added. “I’ve been dreaming of playing in the Giant Center since I don’t know when … grade school.

“Just coming in here and doing really good and winning, it’s crazy.”

For Klazas, Thursday night’s medal will go nicely with the keepsake he received in 2011 after leading the Crusaders past Eastern York 64-49 in the Class AAA final.

“It’s just been an incredible group of kids,” Klazas admitted. “They’re so fun to be around and they work really hard. I never expected this out of that group.”