Crusaders roll behind Rung's 26.

1,000 POINTS

I knew it was achievable, but it wasn’t something I focused the season on. I wanted to be at my best for my team, and it just happened to be a goal I was able to reach”

Layne Rung, HTC senior forward

FORT MADISON – The Holy Trinity Crusaders have been on a heater lately winning seven of the last eight.
That continued Thursday night with a 65-42 dismantling of Wapello at Shottenkirk Gymnasium in Southeast Iowa Super Conference basketball. The win comes after the Crusaders needed overtime to knock off New London 63-50 on Tuesday.
Senior Layne Rung, who had 33 in the overtime win against the Tigers had 26 Thursday including seven 3-balls, and is hitting his stride at the right time. The 33 on Tuesday was enough to allow him to eclipse the 1,000 point mark for his career. He joins Connor Gehling and Luke Hellige as the only other Crusader boys to hit the milestone.
“I knew it was achievable, but it wasn’t something I focused the season on. I wanted to be at my best for my team, and it just happened to be a goal I was able to reach,” Rung said after Thursday’s win.
He said the Crusaders were sluggish to start the season, but have come together more since the holiday break.
“We started slow with a couple losses and we realized we’re better than what we showed. After the break we went up to Oskaloosa and played rough teams there and I think that really set us straight.”
The Crusaders got behind 4-0 in the early going Thursday missing on their first four shots, but the Nathan Box got things going inside with a bucket while getting banged around by three Indians in the paint. Then Layne Rung popped the lid off with a 3-ball from the deep right wing to give HTC a lead they would never relinquish.
 The bucket actually set off a 8-3 run through the first quarter despite the Crusaders shooting just 4 of 13 from the field in the first eight minutes.
Rung would open the second quarter with two three-pointers back to back, the first from the right baseline and the second with HTC up 16-7 from the top of the key off a deep inbound pass. Rung would then hit three of four free throws and another bomb from the left wing as he handled all the scoring in the second period, until Jack Ragar scored on a tough inside move on the right block to make it 27-12 with less than a minute left in the half.
Box would get into foul trouble  in the second quarter which sent sophomore Graeme Meredith into the game giving the Crusaders a different look. But the Fort Madison transfer jumped right in scoring seven points and providing Head Coach John Hellige some quality minutes off the bench.
“We’ve had him for four games now and he’s been great all fall. We’re excited to get him in the rotation,” Hellige said.
“We’ve got some strong guards in Jay and Jack, and Layne obviously. So finding him some minutes is sometimes hard. But if Nate gets in foul trouble we can go to him and run a little smaller. He’s got great court awareness – a great young ball player and a great kid.”
Meredith said he sees his role as just bringing some defensive intensity and score when opportunities present themselves.
“I like the bond everyone has and the chemistry we have together,” Meredith said. “I just wanna play defense and fill Nathan’s shoes. I wasn’t hitting well tonight, but I think I’ll come back strong next week.”
Rung would finish with 18 points in the first half, and would keep it rolling with another three this time from the left baseline to open third quarter action.  Holy Trinity would open up a lead as big as 25 when Corbin Van Niewaal laced a couple free throws for a 61-36 lead before Hellige brought all the seniors off to honor them on senior night.
He said the Crusaders still have some things to button up, but they are playing well at the right time, a trademark for Hellige’s Crusaders.
“We’re looking good. Things need to get sharpened up a bit. We’ve won seven of eight and I’m proud of that,” he said.
“I think the big thing is the dog days of winter. We want to keep it fun and exciting and keep it fresh for them to play hard down the stretch. Hopefully we can win out and get a nice seed for districts.”
Ragar finished with 12 points and Van Niewaal had 13 for the Crusaders.
The Crusaders are 11-6 overall and 7-6 in the SEI Super Conference South Division with a big game Friday against Mediapolis (11-5, 10-3).