CHAFFEE — Pick up your dribble at your own peril against the Saxony Lutheran boys basketball team.

Chaffee learned that lesson the hard way Tuesday.

The Crusaders leaned on their swarming defense to cruise past the Red Devils 57-21.

"Coach always emphasizes our defensive intensity," Saxony senior Chris Roth said. "Any time they pick up the ball, jump on them and double team if we can."

Saxony senior Bryant Steffens said the Crusaders almost dare teams to pick up their dribble. When an opposing player falls into the trap, the defense pounces.

"They have to make their passes or they're going to travel or a turnover," Steffens said. "Either way it's going to benefit us. If they pick up their dribble, they can't move anywhere. They don't have that pivot foot. If you put pressure on them, they make turnovers or call timeouts. It gets the momentum going."

Chaffee managed 10 points in the first quarter, but failed to break five points in any of the subsequent quarters.

Saxony's defense forced the Red Devils to shoot 27 percent (8 of 30) from the field. Chaffee coach Josh Govreau said that as hard as he tried to prepare his team for Saxony's pressure defense, he was limited by his team's lack of height.

"You try to simulate it in practice, putting six or seven guys out there, running and jumping like they do," Govreau said. "But it's hard. Saxony's length is something we don't have. It's hard to simulate two 6-3 guys out there trapping when we don't have that. We can go over it and go over it, but until you see it, it's different."

Trenton Horman led the Red Devils (2-5) with eight points, all in the first half. Govreau said he would have liked to see his team make more passes to attack Saxony's defense.

"With their defense, it was hard to penetrate on them," Govreau said. "But I just didn't think we were moving enough on offense. That's been one of our problems all year long, whoever we play. Offensively, we're struggling moving."

Saxony jumped out to a 10-0 lead, thanks in part to a pair of 3-pointers from Steffens. He finished with a game-high 14 points. He went 4 of 10 on 3-pointers in the first half.

"I look to shoot mostly," he said. "It's my bread and butter. I'm a catch and shooter. I've been shooting the ball really well right now. ... We had off for a couple of days and I shot probably eight hours over break."

The Crusaders shot 42 percent (5 of 12) in the first half from 3-point range. Saxony coach Sam Sides said he doesn't mind long-distance shots, but doesn't want his team to become too reliant on them.

"My philosophy is if you're open and you've got confidence, shoot it," Sides said. "We've got some kids who can make it. Once in a while we get in a situation where we start falling in love with that 3-point shot. We've got to realize if it's not going, we have to be a little more patient."

The Crusaders pushed their lead to 20 points on a Steffens 3-pointer to end the first half.

Saxony improved to 8-1, and received some good news when it was ranked No. 8 in Class 2 in the latest Associated Press state poll.

"I don't think we'll pay too much attention to it," Roth said. "We have to bring our game no matter if we're ranked one or we're ranked 50 in the state. We have to bring it every night. We might use it to motivate us."

Saxony2014129—57

Chaffee10443—21

Saxony Lutheran (57) — Trevor Mabuce 7, Trent Steffens 2, Chris Roth 7, Nick LeGrand 4, Bret Steffens 11, Bryant Steffens 14, Garrett Fritsche 11, Clay Roth 1. FG 23, FT 6-12, F 12. (3-pointers: Bryant Steffens 4, Mabuce 1. Fouled out: None)

Chaffee (21) — Trenton Horman 8, Taimen Taylor 4, Collin Dannenmueller 2, Nathan Cicardi 2, Jordan Yahn 3, Mike Rutherford 2. FG 8, FT 3-6, F 13. (3-pointers: Horman 2. Fouled out: None)