No. 2-ranked Crean Lutheran prepares for challenging final stretch of regular season

Crean Lutheran head coach Austin Loeb talks with his team during a timeout Tuesday in a league game vs. Foothill. (Photo courtesy John Luciano, Crean Lutheran Shutterbugs).

Crean Lutheran’s boys basketball team is gearing up for the final leg of the regular season, which includes some challenging games in the ultra competitive Crest View League and some tough non-league games.

Crean Lutheran, ranked No. 2 in Orange County this week by OC Varsity, has a bye from league play Friday night. The Saints (16-6) host No. 10 ranked Fairmont Prep (11-9) Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in a non-league game.

Crean Lutheran resumes league play Tuesday night at Cypress and Friday, Jan. 23 at Canyon.

Crean Lutheran (3-1 in league) has a slight lead over La Habra and Canyon (both 2-1) who play tonight.

Also on the Saints’ schedule is a matchup with Bishop Gorman on Saturday, Jan. 24 at the Nike Extravaganza at Mater Dei and a league showdown with La Habra, which handed the Saints their only league loss, 69-56 on Friday, Jan. 9 at La Habra. The rematch will be Tuesday, Jan. 27 at Crean Lutheran.

First year coach Austin Loeb has been pleased with the progress of his team, which has faced a tough non-league schedule and has played in some of the top tier tournaments including The Classic at Damien.

“I think we’re battled tested, we’ve played all sorts of type of games,” Loeb said. “We’re learning how to go through a really tough league and we will continue growing and hopefully getting healthier. It’s about playing your best at the end of the season. We don’t shy away from adversity, I think adversity really reveals character and I think this group is getting closer and finding out ways to win.”

Loeb realizes that everyone team is bringing its best against the Saints.

“Everyone is gunning for you, our guys feel that pressure sometimes,” Loeb said after Tuesday’s win over Foothill. Crean Lutheran was without three key players who were out injured.

Crean Lutheran was without senior front line players Jacob Majok and Will Malual (both out with ankle injuries) and junior Amari Reynolds (knee) Tuesday against Foothill.

“I think they will be back either early next week or next game,” Loeb said. “That will help big-time.”

In their absence, Loeb said the rest of the team has stepped up.

“I think they’re handling it really well and continiung to grow and that’s the most important part, and guys are stepping up, that’s what good teams do,” Loeb said. “They’re a very resilient group and I think the fruits of that labor will continue to show as the season progresses as the latter half of this league finishes off.”

With a few weeks left in the regular season, the Saints have been projected as high as No. 8 for the CIF Open Division playoffs by James Escarcega of the SGV/Whittier Prep Sports Zone, then revised last week to No. 1 in Division 1.

“It’s really hard because we’ve missed Jacob for so long,” Loeb said. “Even when he was playing, he was probably around 75 or 85 percent and he really wasn’t the Jacob we knew. When he comes back from this injury, and gets re-accliminated, I’m excited to see us click this latter half of league and hopefully he remains healthy. If he’s full-go, I think we can compete with anyone.

“He’s a big piece of what we’re doing and a captain and a senior and he’s obviously had a ton of playoff success. Without him, I know the open would be tough, especially since we miss his shooting, 40 percent catch and shoot 3-point shooter last year, and his energy and his enthusiasm, and he’s obviously a great defender.”

Crean Lutheran junior guard Hunter Caplan would like the Saints to be in the highest division for the playoffs.

“Whatever we are, I just want to win,” he said. “I would rather be {in} open to be honest because you’re going against the best of the best and that’s what I want to do every night. Our loss to La Habra hurt us a little bit, so we got to win league, finish up strong and see what happens with the computer rankings, you never know what happens with those.

“Whatever we are, it’s another oppportunity to play good basketball and just hopefully win.”

—Tim Burt, OC Sports Zone; timburt@ocsportszone.com