Chaffee Red Devils adapt to slow-paced battle, secure victory over Saxony Lutheran

The Chaffee Red Devils boys basketball team defeated the Saxony Lutheran Crusaders 44-27 on Thursday at Saxony Lutheran High School.

Dane McMullin led all scorers with 20 for the Red Devils, then Nolan Fowler with 11. Owen Buchheit led the Crusaders with 13.

Chaffee led 8-7 after the first quarter, with a late Saxony three from Korby Engert giving them seven. Both teams ran slow offenses, and the Red Devils got several chances for free throws.

Chaffee led 19-9 at halftime. The Red Devils held Saxony to just two free throws in the quarter and sank a few threes to extend their lead.

Chaffee head coach Josh Govreau said tonight's game differed from their usual one, but his team handled it well.

“After playing Perryville on Tuesday, where it didn't seem like a ball stayed on one side of the court longer than about three seconds, tonight was definitely a change of pace. I figured they were going to try to make it a slow game and keep us from being able to get out and run,” Govreau said. “Their kids did a good job, they're very disciplined on offense. I thought defensively we did well, I can't complain about allowing nine with a 10-point lead.”

Saxony made things close a few times in the third, getting the lead down to six but foul trouble for the Crusaders put the Devils on the line. Chaffee held a nine-point third-quarter lead of 27-18.

Saxony made things close again early in the third but Govreau said his team made good plays under pressure to hold on to the win.

“I told them, ‘Think about the type of game we played on Tuesday and the type of game we played tonight.’ They were two totally different styles and were able to adjust and win both of them,” Govreau said. “We don’t have to win a game by 30 points. Our kids understand that, and they're here to win games. They adjusted and played hard and pulled it off.”

Chaffee has three games left before the postseason, and Govreau said they will be tough but important games to learn from.

Chaffee heads to Bunker on Saturday to take on the Eagles at 5 p.m., while Saxony goes to Oak Ridge on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Girls: Chaffee 71, Charleston 32

Chaffee continued its winning ways with a convincing win over Charleston at home on Thursday. The Lady Devils won five of its last six games.

Chaffee was led by Carlyanne Cossou, who scored 19 points. Zoe Bentley scored 15 points, and Jersie Lynn added 10 points.

Ver'Nyia Haynes led the Blue Jays with 15 points. Charleston has lost 11 straight to drop to 3-17 on the season.

Chaffee travels to Bunker on Saturday for the People’s Community Bank Shootout, where the Devils and Eagles will tangle in a boys-girls doubleheader.

Charleston travels to Campbell on Feb. 18.

Girls: Woodland 59, Oak Ridge 45

Oak Ridge fell to Woodland on the road to drop to 11-10 on the season.

The Blue Jays were led by Reagan Howe, who scored 14 points, and Madyson Ruehling, who earned a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Blue Jays will play Puxico at home for senior night on Feb. 20.