OK, Kenosha Christian Life, or “KCL” as some discuss with it, is unquestionably not massive and might not be on plenty of radars when it comes to metropolis hoops.

However regardless of a faculty with a little bit greater than 200 college students, and difficult convention in addition within the Midwest Basic, the Eagles are scoring a wholesome 63 factors per recreation and conserving tempo across the .500 mark.

At 6-6 after Wednesday’s 10-point loss, the Eagles are displaying a little bit of inconsistency, however a victory over 9-2 Salam college of Milwaukee confirmed the Eagles have strong workforce chemistry, poise in high-pressure conditions, and loads of expertise to go round. 

Simply ask Eagles head coach Duke Montgomery.

There isn’t any denying his pleasure for his Eagles, and with a Division 4 slate within the upcoming WIAA postseason in late February, something can occur.

“Throughout our final workforce assembly we mentioned this and we’re extraordinarily optimistic about this 12 months and transferring ahead,” Montgomery mentioned. “These younger males are dedicated. Our households are dedicated, and I am assured our boys will proceed to shock the Midwest Basic Convention.”

Towards Salam, Christian Life constructed a double-digit second half lead, solely to lose it, earlier than arising massive within the clutch with a multitude of free throws.

And identical to he has all season, it was senior guard Sam Jennings main the cost. Presently, Jennings leads the workforce with 22.3 factors per recreation.

Nolan Carroll provides 12 factors per recreation, and Carmen Simpson contribute double figures at 10.

Fixed motion with out the ball, sharp cuts to the bucket and composure down the stretch, together with stellar protection on Salam’s Ahmad Badwan, the state’s main scorer at 37.8 factors per recreation, led to the spectacular 74-72 win over Salam Monday night time. 

Badwan confirmed off his elite scoring skills with exterior pictures, driving and ending abilities and spectacular dimension and energy down low along with his 6-foot-3, cumbersome body.

However the Eagles discovered a manner by way of double groups and cohesive general workforce protection to power him into three straight unhealthy pictures whereas the seconds ticked down, and the clock hit zeroes with Christian Life hanging on for the ‘W’.

“I do consider we did good towards him,” Montgomery mentioned. “Our recreation technique was to remain in entrance of him and be as disruptive as doable towards him. We matched our primary man, senior captain, Sam Jennings towards him. I had complete religion and confidence in Sam that he would execute and he did. Sam did an excellent job disrupting his pictures, and the workforce did an excellent job at filling the gaps on protection to maintain him out of the paint.

“These guys have been taking part in collectively for a few years, nevertheless, at first of the season we put a premium on the significance of teamwork and brotherhood. We observe free throws every day, and we usually observe them when the boys are exhausted from drills. I am extraordinarily blessed to have two nice assistant coaches who assist guarantee practices are high-energy, difficult and aggressive. We additionally hung out off the courtroom visiting totally different faculty practices to study methods to raised compete. All of this has enabled us to play higher and construct workforce chemistry.”

The Eagles, who already haven’t got the best depth or dimension with their tallest participant at 6-foot-2, are in a tough patch of seven video games in 16 days, and Wednesday’s loss to a four-win workforce in College College (5-10 general) might have been a let-down.

That they had an opportunity at revenge towards USM (test Sunday’s Information for outcomes), after which they needed to face two extra sturdy convention foes in Westlake Christian, Ailing. and Residing Phrase Lutheran – two winnable, however nonetheless difficult contests on the again finish of a gamut of video games.

The Eagles sit proper on the middle-of-the-pack mark at 6-6, and with 9 remaining video games earlier than the WIAA postseason, together with video games towards convention unbeaten Brookfield Academy, a Division 3 college, 11-3 Heritage Christian, bigger Lake Nation Lutheran and conventional small-school energy Williams Bay Religion Christian, the street will not be simple by any means.

However Montgomery can not help however be ok with his workforce’s probabilities.

You’ll be able to catch the Eagle boys in motion at residence at 7:15 p.m. Monday night time towards College Lake College of Milwaukee and the Christian Life ladies varsity Tuesday night time at 6 p.m. at residence.

Each video games will likely be performed at Christian Life College, 10700 seventy fifth St., situated on Freeway 50 lower than one mile east of I-94.