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Crowl and James help Eastview deal rival Shakopee first league loss of season

By Mike Randleman, SportsEngine, 01/28/20, 4:30PM CST

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Steven Crowl and Jaylen James combined for 45 points, helping the Lightning beat their South Suburban Conference rivals.

Eastview's Steven Crowl, right, put up a shot over Shakopee defenders Charlie Katona, left, and Nick Katona. Crowl scored 26 points in Eastview's 82-69 victory. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

Eastview's Steven Crowl, right, put up a shot over Shakopee defenders Charlie Katona, left, and Nick Katona. Crowl scored 26 points in Eastview's 82-69 victory. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

Lessons‌ ‌learned‌ from ‌a‌ ‌season‌ ‌ago‌ ‌are‌ ‌turning‌ ‌into‌ ‌wins‌ ‌now‌ ‌for‌ ‌Eastview.‌ ‌

The‌ ‌senior-laden‌ ‌Lightning‌ ‌got an edge in ‌the‌ ‌South‌ ‌Suburban‌ ‌Conference‌ standings ‌on ‌Tuesday‌ ‌night‌ ‌as‌ ‌they‌ ‌notched‌ ‌a‌ ‌definitive‌ ‌82-69‌ ‌victory‌ at home ‌over‌ ‌Shakopee‌.‌ ‌

Eastview‌, ranked No. 2 in Class 4A by Minnesota Basketball News, ‌has‌ now already ‌matched‌ ‌its‌ ‌regular‌-‌season ‌win‌ ‌total‌ ‌from‌ ‌last year — ‌with‌ ‌a‌ ‌month‌ ‌remaining before section playoffs begin.‌ 

‌Nine‌ ‌seniors‌ ‌returned‌ ‌from‌ ‌a‌n Eastview ‌squad‌ ‌that‌ ‌flashed‌ ‌its‌ ‌potential‌ ‌with‌ ‌a‌ ‌deep‌ ‌postseason‌ ‌run‌ ‌and‌ ‌a‌ ‌trip to the Class 4A ‌state‌ ‌tournament last March.‌ ‌

Leading‌ ‌the‌ ‌Lightning‌ (15-2,‌ ‌8-1) ‌was ‌6-foot-9‌ ‌senior‌ ‌center ‌Steven‌ ‌Crowl.‌ ‌The‌ ‌Wisconsin‌ ‌commit‌ ‌proved to be ‌too‌ ‌much‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌paint‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌Sabers’‌ (13-2,‌ ‌7-1) ‌undersized‌ ‌frontcourt as he ‌poured ‌in‌ ‌a‌ ‌game‌-‌high‌ ‌26‌ ‌points.‌ ‌

Eastview's Jaylen James (3) started his drive to the basket against Shakopee's Caleb Druvenga. James scored 19 points against Shakopee. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

Eastview's Jaylen James (3) started his drive to the basket against Shakopee's Caleb Druvenga. James scored 19 points against Shakopee. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

First Report

In a clash for an edge in the South Suburban Conference standings, Eastview defended its home court by handing Shakopee an 82-69 loss in Apple Valley on Tuesday night.

The score stuck within two possessions in a back-and-forth game through the first dozen minutes.

Thanks in part to double-digit scoring halves from guard Jaylen James, who hit four first-half threes, and center Steven Crowl, who led Eastview (15-2, 8-1) with 26 points, the Lightning led 45-36 at halftime.

Crowl, a Wisconsin commit who was on the bench for the final 6 minutes of the first half with two fouls, took over in the second half by scoring the first six points.

Charlie Katona heated up for Shakopee (13-3, 7-1), scoring 13 of his team-high 17 points in the second half. Teammate Will Cordes scored 12 points and Nick Katona added 10.

However, Eastview’s lead continued to swell. The Lightning, ranked No. 2 in Class 4A by Minnesota Basketball News, led by as much as 25 points before the No. 4-4A Sabers trimmed the deficit in the closing minutes.

James finished with 19 points. Eastview’s Ryan Thissen recorded 13 points and Zach Spann had 10.

The Lightning and Sabers will meet again in the regular-season finale on Feb. 28 in Shakopee.

Shakopee's Will Cordes (55) got past Eastview's Jaylen James on a second-half break. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

Shakopee's Will Cordes (55) got past Eastview's Jaylen James on a second-half break. Photo by Mark Hvidsten, SportsEngine

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