A complete-game effort led the Calvary Lutheran boys basketball team to the first win of the season Monday night, but it might have been the pregame preparations that held the key.
After getting off to slow starts while starting the season with an 0-4 record, the Lions decided to change things up.
"We needed to do something different. We were not coming out ready to play," Calvary coach Mark Buffington said. "So we did a couple different things in the locker room before the game."
The changes paid off, as the Lions snagged a 54-45 win against the Belle Tigers at the Calvary gym.
"We got stretched earlier, we stretched more," Buffington said. "The kids always stretch before games, but we did it earlier and more.
"And we were more focused - I had them sit quietly for a while. We've probably been a little too loosey-goosey. It's OK to be loose, but we were too much that way.
"The first four games, we were just not ready to play, and (Monday) we were."
The Lions opened the game with a 3-pointer by Cole Duenckel and raced out to a 14-6 lead - Cal Kolzow added a pair of layups and Beau Monson added a jumper and a pair of layups to complete Calvary's scoring.
The Lions eventually took their biggest lead of the first quarter following back-to-back 3s by Duenckel that made it 22-12.
"We started out on the right foot," said Monson, who along with Duenckel scored nine points in the frame. "We just stayed with it and kept going. We knew who had the hot hand and we just kept getting it to him."
Belle hit a 3 with :02 left in the quarter to make it 22-15, and the Tigers outscored the Lions 14-2 to start the second quarter to take their biggest lead at 29-24.
"We kind of got discombobulated on defense for a bit," Buffington said. "Give Belle credit, they hit some big shots, but we weren't covering their shooters. We made some adjustments, and that helped."
Calvary was able to right the ship and a layup and a 3 by Alex Flannigan to end the half sent the Lions into the locker room with a 34-32 lead.
"I was proud of our kids, because they didn't fold after giving up that lead," Buffington said. "They stayed with it."
If the first half was all about the offense, with the teams combining for 66 points, the second half was the polar opposite. The defenses clamped down after the break, with Calvary outscoring Belle 20-13.
"Defense, especially in the second half, was a big part of the win," Buffington said. "The kids did a nice job, they played hard."
Calvary outscored Belle 10-9 in the third quarter to lead 44-41, and had a 10-4 scoring advantage in the final period.
"Everybody getting on the same page (on defense) was one of the biggest deals," Monson said. "In some of the past games, we weren't on the same page for 100 percent of the game. Tonight was amazing defense. We all knew where we were supposed to be."
Monson was a big part of that defense. He narrowly missed a double-double, as he had nine steals to go with his game-high 20 points. It was almost enough to make him have a look at the game tape.
"I think it was 10 (steals)," he said with a laugh. "I think it was 10."
Duenckel joined Monson in double figures with 12 points, while Hance Sommerer had a game-high 10 rebounds.
Jesse Wilson dropped in 16 points and was the only Belle player in double figures.
"It was a great feeling to get that first one in the win column," Monson said.
Calvary will host Higbee at 7 p.m. Friday before a quick turnaround, as the Lions will play Jamestown at noon Saturday in the Missouri National Guard Shootout at Fleming Fieldhouse.