Lightning turn to Loper to lead

The Sage Hill School boys’ basketball team is gearing up for the new season. Mark Loper can’t wait to experience it for the first time.

The CIF Southern Section Division V-AA playoffs start in two weeks. Unlike last season, Loper expects the Lightning to participate.

Ski week literally killed the chance last season. Loper said the seniors from that team chose the slopes over the hardwood.

As the Lightning head into the final three regular-season games, things are far more serious at Sage Hill (15-5, 5-2 in Academy League). Third-year coach Jeff Beeler said Loper has helped changed the team’s attitude as a junior.

The point guard has the Lightning two victories away from setting a new record for wins in a season and in position to record the program’s best finish in league play. The Lightning are more than ready for the postseason after missing it the past two seasons.

Last season, Sage Hill decided not to compete in the playoffs after receiving an at-large berth. The reason behind it didn’t go over so well with Loper.

“That was really disappointing,” Loper said of the seniors deciding to forgo the playoffs for the snow. “The seniors didn’t want to give up their planned trips, just for one CIF playoff game. They expected to lose in the first round.

“The younger guys wanted to go to the playoffs.”

Those youngsters returned hungrier than ever. Sage Hill, ranked No. 14, plans to finish strong and enter the postseason with momentum.

Sage Hill is currently in second place in league. The team has won its previous three league contests, including last week’s 83-59 victory against Crean Lutheran South. Loper finished with 23 points, his best offensive output in league.

Loper turned in his best performance at the start of the winning streak. The Lightning needed a big victory, to snap a two-game skid in league, and to make history.

Sage Hill considers St. Margaret’s its rival. Usually in a rivalry, each school has succeeded against the other at some point. Before this season, the Lightning have never defeated St. Margaret’s in boys’ basketball.

Loper tried to change that on the night of Jan. 22.

On the road, with the home bleachers full to capacity and everyone stomping, Loper stood on the free-throw line with the game tied at 51-51 in the fourth quarter. It was late, Beeler saying there were 9.9 seconds left.

Loper on the first free-throw attempt somehow stayed composed, despite knowing what was at stake. Sage Hill has been competing on varsity for nine seasons, so it was on the brink of going a decade without beating the Tartans.

“I tried not to think about too much,” Loper said. “But after the first free throw rolled in, my own coach iced me. He called a timeout. I couldn’t believe it.”

Loper said he stayed cool. He had to because he had another free throw to take.

After Beeler instructed the Lightning during the timeout how to defend St. Margaret’s when it gained possession, Loper went back to the charity stripe. This time, he swished it.

The crowd went silent, as St. Margaret’s called a timeout.

Loper’s mother, Irma, was getting closer to calling her other son, Matt. Never mind that Matt, a former Sage Hill standout, lived in New York. It was close to midnight back East, but Irma made the call to the 2005 graduate when the Tartans missed a game-tying shot at the buzzer.

Loper doesn’t recall how the conversation went with Matt. All Loper said he remembers is how he and his teammates celebrated on the St. Margaret’s court, and how they were the last ones making noise that night.

“After watching the tape, the camera was shaking when I was at the line, because of all the stomping,” said Loper, who finished with 15 points in the game. “We were down 13 going into the fourth quarter and we came back.

“At halftime, we just said to each other, ‘We can’t let this happen every year.’”

Loper helped Sage Hill finally beat St. Margaret’s. Nothing can probably beat that feat, but playing in the playoffs for the first time is something Loper is looking forward to doing in a couple of weeks.