That the Strake Jesuit boys basketball team upstaged once-nationally ranked Cypress Springs to win the District 17-5A championship speaks volumes to the consistent year the Crusaders have enjoyed.

But the biggest thorn in the Crusaders' side seems to be that they can't upstage the Panthers when both teams are in the same gym.

Cy Springs, which faded from championship contention when star player Erik Williams was lost for the season with a broken foot, remained the only district team to defeat Strake Jesuit, beating the Crusaders 70-63 on Tuesday night in the hosts' first game since clinching the district title four nights before.

The Panthers (29-6, 11-5) gained an upper hand early in the fourth quarter when Crusaders (25-6, 13-2) guard Austin Claunch picked up his fourth foul. Then came the game-clinching run; Daquan Williams' 3-point play gave Cy Springs a 47-41 lead, then Ernest Wafer followed immediately with a 3-pointer.

"We matched their guards," Cy Springs coach John Harmatuk said. "They have speed on the perimeter and so do we. We match up to each other well and we got the lead so they had to come out and guard us in the half-court."

Strake Jesuit closed to within five points twice in the final two minutes, but failed to contain Cy Springs' speed. Wafer broke away for back-to-back layups with less than a minute left for a 67-59 lead, taking away the Crusaders' chance to get back in the game by fouling.

"Coach just told us to keep bringing the heat, (present) ball pressure, run-and-gun and rebound," said Williams, who scored a game-high 23 points. "If we do that, we can get whatever we want. Strake plays the same style we do so we feel we have an advantage."

So what's the difference?

"Our guard play is incredible," Williams said. "When we put Phil (McDonald) on the block, we get more help on offense and dish it off for the lob. Our guard play, I really think, is unstoppable."

McDonald added 19 points and Wafer 15.

Tim Frazier had 17 points, Joey Brooks 16 and Trent Rogers 11 for Strake Jesuit, which more than acquitted itself after an 81-50 loss to Cy Springs on Dec. 4, 2007.

That was the beginning of the Panthers' best stretch, one that lasted through the Houston vs. The Nation tournament in December but screeched to a halt when Erik Williams, a 6-foot-6 junior wing, was injured in mid-January.

"We had a little letdown for about two weeks where we started feeling sorry for ourselves," Harmatuk said. "I told them they couldn't do that. These last two weeks, the guys have come back and played their game."

Cy Springs will meet Hastings or Alief Taylor in bi-district play next week. Strake Jesuit should match up with Katy Taylor, the fourth-place team from 18-5A.

That second season, the Panthers believe, will help overshadow any low points from the first.

"Coach just tells us that if we get out of line, we need to come together as a team," Williams said. "If we slack off in class, we'll slack off on the court. If we take care of business everywhere else, we'll take care of business on the court. Our minds were squarely on Strake tonight. We're ready to make a run."

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