XENIA — Legacy Christian shooters did enough to heat up the gym themselves on a cold evening outside.
Making 13 shots from three, the Knights were able to keep Franklin Monroe at bay with a terrific offensive performance in a 79-66 win Tuesday at home.
“We’ve started to put a big emphasis on shooting the basketball,” LCA head coach Steve Seitz said. “I got some kids that can shoot and that definitely helps.”
LCA entered the game shooting 34 percent from beyond the arc this season, but made it look as if they couldn’t miss at times against Franklin Monroe. The Knights spread out the shooting through all four quarters in going 13-for-24 from three.
It wasn’t just long shots which propelled LCA to the win, as the team also was 13 of 22 from two and made 12 of its 14 free throw attempts in the contest.
Legacy led by 12 late in the third quarter before FM made a run to close the gap. An 8-0 run spanning into the fourth got the Jets as close as they would be down the stretch before LCA followed with eight unanswered points of its own to regain its lead. The margin never dropped below 10 the remainder of the game.
“We’re going to shoot the ball, but defensively and rebounding we need to continue to work,” Seitz said. “Good part is with these boys they just come and do the work.”
Andrew Riddle scored 21 points, 16 of which came in the first half, to lead the Knights (4-3) as one of five double figure scorers.
Parker Burke added 16, while Jacob Thompson and Blake Schwartzkopf both had 14. Michael Little scored 11.
“You always want him to start fast because he can sustain that momentum,” Seitz said of Burke. “He does lose having the ball at times depending on what we’re trying to do, but definitely being a senior he steps up in big moments.”
Riddle and Schwartzkopf both had four makes from three.
The Knights immediately were lights out in the first half with its shooting. LCA made all five of its attempts inside the arc in the opening quarter and were 6 of 11 from three in the half on the way to 64 percent shooting as a team.
LCA led by as many as 12 before the Jets got a couple baskets late in the half to cut its deficit down to 38-31 at the break.
The Knights have run into a few of the top scorers in the area so far this season, and seemed to take inspiration from the opposition against FM.
“I feel like we’re now just starting to get going,” Seitz said.
Legacy will next face Miami Valley on Friday as it returns to league play.
