Gotta keep your cool

Coach poured coolant into the radiators at halftime.

Down 5-18, Lighthouse Christian Academy performed better in the second half, though not good enough to beat its amaranthine rival Hillcrest of Thousand Oaks in a foul fest of a basketball game on Friday.

"These guys have to learn to handle their frustrations with referees, with contact in these games," said coach David Horowitz. "I'm trying to remind them that when you play with the power of God, you answer to that. You don't have to get fired up about it."

Senior Marcus Scribner was bringing competition to Hillcrest with speed and physicality. He was beating players and putting up shots. Others on the Lighthouse were missing and misunderstanding passes.

After the half time pep talk from coach, others calmed their nerves and began to score, including the ever-calm Pat Cannon, who uncharacteristically reacted a ref's call in the first half, resulting in free throws for the opponents.

Senior Zachary Brewer found his rhythm, and Daniel O'Neil, the tallest player in the court, lurked into the key to receive passes and score. The Santa Monica Christian school hit 25 points in the second half.

But its defense leaked.

"We definitely played better in the second half. Our energy was better," said Coach David. "But we didn't have the defense we wanted to be able to shut (them) down. Our defense didn't hone it down.

"We had no business being that ugly early. We're just better than that," he added. "We put ourselves in a hole, and you start playing the other team's game and you give them confidence. We had the ability and the skill to not only compete with these guys but to overcome it. Our heart was a lot better in the second half, but our defense needs some work: too many holes, it was a little bit of a sieve. Guys that shouldn't have been getting open shots, we're getting them."

Lighthouse's rivalry is renewed yearly -- at its football matchup against Hillcrest. It is believed the antagonism dates back Jacob and Esau, though Biblical interpreters may disagree. There are those who speculate the feud may even continue into Heaven.

Here are the ironies of the rivalry: they're both Christian schools and they're both "the Saints." Since they're both faith-based, no one says "hatred," but the Christian love might be spoken through pursed lips.

Getting the upper hand in football has evolved into something of a bitter derby. For the last five years, Hillcrest has smothered Lighthouse, including 2019. Some of the same Lighthouse football players comprise the basketball team, as is the case for Hillcrest.

Naturally, Lighthouse wanted to make up for in basketball the opportunity they missed in football. They played in front of a quasi-hostile crowd. Fouls were frequent on both sides.

Whoever kept his cool stood the best chance to win, so the game was psychological.

"You go out there with the strength of your faith in God and you don't let anybody take it from you," Coach David said. "Sometimes when you lose your temper, you're losing track of why we're here. We're here to play for the glory of God. It has to be."

Here are the previous Lighthouse Christian Academy basketball games:

• God and basketball in LCA loss
• Lighthouse point guard doesn't disappoint
• Saints pass chemistry class on court
• No gift for Christmas
• Skater sinks shots