By SETH HAGAN | For the Reporter 

HOMEWOOD – Spain Park found themselves in an unfamiliar yet comfortable position Thursday night, Dec 27, as the Jaguars took their opening game of the Metro Tournament over the Thompson Warriors, 57-44 to advance to the winners’ bracket.

The victory avenges a 45-38 loss at Thompson back on Dec 11.

The Jaguars’ tough zone defense forced the Warriors to the perimeter where they could never get things going.

Spain Park head coach Chris Laatsch was very pleased with his team’s effort on a night where the Jags badly needed a win.

“I thought they played really hard,” he said. “We’ve had so many close games that we’ve lost and it’s nice to have a lead and be able to keep it and win. We’ve lost a lot of leads in fourth quarters so it was good to finish today against a team that had beat us earlier in the year.”

Spain Park (4-13) came out strong and quickly built a 13-4 lead closing out well on defense and contesting outside shots.

Austin Laatsch also heated up from downtown connecting on two 3-pointers. Zach Littleton and Jack Dorolek, players who usually give the Warriors that long-range threat, couldn’t find the mark all night.

Thompson (10-4) had a chance to close the lead further before the quarter ended but missed three of four free throws in the final minute.

Cam Crawford scored four in the first for the Jags and added the opening five in the second quarter giving Spain Park a 20-11 lead.

Grant Hopkins scored seven points in the period for Thompson and Chaney Johnson added five as the Warriors kept the lead within single digits.

However, as time expired in the first half of play, Austin Laatsch banked in his third three from the top of the key to give the Jaguars a 33-21 lead at halftime.

“He’s been shooting the ball really well recently and when he gets going that’s really good for us,” Laatsch said of his son. “It opens up driving lanes and post-up game and he stepped up and made some big ones.”

Spain Park clamped down on the Warriors once again coming out of the half and held them to just five points in the third quarter allowing no shots the last four minutes.

Crawford and his teammates were able to get to the line often for eight attempts, Crawford scoring another five of his game-high 18 points.

Laatsch also hit his final three of the night and finished with 14. The Jags led 45-26 heading into the fourth quarter.

Thompson had seven different players score in the fourth, including five more points from Grant Hopkins who led the team with 14.

Still, the lead was too much to overcome and Jaelon Agee scored all six of his points in the period to help Spain Park close out the game.

The Jaguars advanced to meet tournament host Homewood, Friday, Dec 28 at 7:30 p.m. while Thompson will face Woodlawn on the same day at 4:30 p.m.