3rd-quarter offensive surge gives Lynchburg-Clay win over Hillsboro
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
DODSONVILLE — Before the game, both the Lynchburg-Clay and Hillsboro fans gave scorekeeper Jesse Mount multiple standing ovations as he was honored at mid-court for 70 years of service to Lynchburg-Clay High School.
After a video presentation featuring former and current LC head coaches in both boys and girls basketball was played and a plaque was given to the longtime scorekeeper, it was time for Mount to return to the scorer’s table, and the Mustangs gave him a third quarter to score that eventually sent them to a 65-42 victory over their Highland County counterpart Hillsboro.
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“The Lynchburg-Clay coaching staff, players and I just want to congratulate Jesse Mount on his 70 years of service to Lynchburg-Clay High School,” Lynchburg-Clay head coach Matt Carson said. “He is much appreciated for all that he does for our basketball program and the school.”
The non-conference showdown saw a scoring differential of just five points at halftime with a 28-23 lead in favor of the Mustangs. Then came a surge of scoring for LC in the third, outscoring the Indians, 20-11 for a 48-34 lead. From there, the Mustangs never lost the lead as they went on to outscore Hillsboro, 17-8 in the fourth and for the second half combined the difference in scoring was 37-19.
“We talked about it at halftime, being able to come out and get those first three minutes and cut that deficit down, and it went the opposite direction,” Hillsboro head coach Bruce Miles said. “They made a couple big shots, and we really struggled against their zone tonight. We couldn’t make anything, a credit to their zone, but we did not shoot the ball effectively at all. I was extremely disappointed with our second half.
“Eric (McLaughlin) is a great player, and he’s had a great career. Congratulations to him on his accolades. He made some big shots.”
Leading the way on the night for LC (13-7) was Eric McLaughlin, as the senior took over the game at times, finishing with 23 points and five 3-pointers with three in the first half and two more in the second frame.
Also for LC was sophomore Raymond Conner totaling nine points, but all nine were in the all-important third frame where LC stretched their lead to 14 points.
LC’s scoring also included a second double-figure scorer in Damin Pierson with 12 points, scoring eight of those points in the fourth frame to help seal the win.
Hillsboro (7-14) had one player in double figure scoring as Phillip Mycroft totaled 10 points.
The Mustangs and Indians had a seven-point scoring differential in the first quarter with the scoring being tied three times at 8-8, 10-10 and 13-13, as the score was tied for the 13th point off a 3-pointer from Noble Walker just under the 3:00 mark. LC took the lead with 1:40 left in the quarter off a trey from McLaughlin for a 16-13 advantage in favor of the home team.
The 3-pointer from Walker began a 10-0 run for LC to end the first quarter for the 20-13 advantage as McLaughlin scored two more points and Blake Croy. Others to score points in the first were Chris Young and Hilt (who sank a 3-pointer at the 6:36 mark of the quarter). In all, the Mustangs totaled nine 3-pointers.
“I think for us, when we’re good from the 3-point line is when we don’t force it, we play the inside-out game and work the ball around,” Carson said.
LC’s worst quarter saw them score just eight points, but they only lost two points off their overall lead as their defense held the Indians to 10 points in the frame.
HHS had gotten within one point of tying the Mustangs in the second following an 8-0 run to open the quarter with points from Mason Swayne, Caleb Crawford, Mycroft and Ryan Scott to make it a 21-20 deficit with 5:15 left in the second.
From there, the Mustangs had their turn to add some points as Walker, Young and McLaughlin (a 3-pointer at the buzzer) scored seven LC points to Hillsboro’s two points (a layup from Hayden Haines) for the five-point halftime lead at 28-23.
LC opened the third with points from Pierson and Conner, forcing the Indians to call a timeout. HHS answered with a basket from Ethan Watson, but LC responded with a 3-pointer from McLaughlin and two points in the paint by Conner for a 37-25 lead with 4:49 left in the quarter.
Eventually, HHS had a 3-pointer from Haines and two points by Mycroft to total their 11 third-quarter points, while LC had points by Pierson, McLaughlin, Hilt and Conner in the third as they increased their lead to 48-34.
LC’s points in the fourth frame included eight points by Pierson (including a 3-pointer with 3:15 left in regulation), along with McLaughlin adding five points, and Roger Saylor and Walker each scoring two points in the frame.
“I thought everybody that got into the game tonight contributed, the bench had high energy and it was just a fun basketball game for us,” Carson said.
HHS in the fourth had a 3-pointer by Scott, two points from Gavin Temple, a free throw make by Jakwon Clark and two points by Crawford.
For the game, the Indians and Mustangs were around even with 14 turnovers each, and from the free-throw line HHS was 6-of-8 and LC finished 2-of-3.
Next for the Indians is a non-conference game at home vs. Fairfield Thursday.
In the freshman game, LC defeated the Indians, 37-32 in overtime. Chase Smaltz led LC with 14 points, followed by Conner Tyree with 12 points. The leading scorer for HHS in the freshmen game was Gavin Puckett with 11 points.
The JV game saw LC win by a 39-35 score. LC was led by Tyler Stevens with 15 points, and the Indians were led by Ryan Scott with 11 points.
LC will host the Div. I SHAC champion West Union Dragons on Friday, Feb. 16 in a Southern Hills Athletic Conference game.
After a video presentation featuring former and current LC head coaches in both boys and girls basketball was played and a plaque was given to the longtime scorekeeper, it was time for Mount to return to the scorer’s table, and the Mustangs gave him a third quarter to score that eventually sent them to a 65-42 victory over their Highland County counterpart Hillsboro.
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“The Lynchburg-Clay coaching staff, players and I just want to congratulate Jesse Mount on his 70 years of service to Lynchburg-Clay High School,” Lynchburg-Clay head coach Matt Carson said. “He is much appreciated for all that he does for our basketball program and the school.”
The non-conference showdown saw a scoring differential of just five points at halftime with a 28-23 lead in favor of the Mustangs. Then came a surge of scoring for LC in the third, outscoring the Indians, 20-11 for a 48-34 lead. From there, the Mustangs never lost the lead as they went on to outscore Hillsboro, 17-8 in the fourth and for the second half combined the difference in scoring was 37-19.
“We talked about it at halftime, being able to come out and get those first three minutes and cut that deficit down, and it went the opposite direction,” Hillsboro head coach Bruce Miles said. “They made a couple big shots, and we really struggled against their zone tonight. We couldn’t make anything, a credit to their zone, but we did not shoot the ball effectively at all. I was extremely disappointed with our second half.
“Eric (McLaughlin) is a great player, and he’s had a great career. Congratulations to him on his accolades. He made some big shots.”
Leading the way on the night for LC (13-7) was Eric McLaughlin, as the senior took over the game at times, finishing with 23 points and five 3-pointers with three in the first half and two more in the second frame.
Also for LC was sophomore Raymond Conner totaling nine points, but all nine were in the all-important third frame where LC stretched their lead to 14 points.
LC’s scoring also included a second double-figure scorer in Damin Pierson with 12 points, scoring eight of those points in the fourth frame to help seal the win.
Hillsboro (7-14) had one player in double figure scoring as Phillip Mycroft totaled 10 points.
The Mustangs and Indians had a seven-point scoring differential in the first quarter with the scoring being tied three times at 8-8, 10-10 and 13-13, as the score was tied for the 13th point off a 3-pointer from Noble Walker just under the 3:00 mark. LC took the lead with 1:40 left in the quarter off a trey from McLaughlin for a 16-13 advantage in favor of the home team.
The 3-pointer from Walker began a 10-0 run for LC to end the first quarter for the 20-13 advantage as McLaughlin scored two more points and Blake Croy. Others to score points in the first were Chris Young and Hilt (who sank a 3-pointer at the 6:36 mark of the quarter). In all, the Mustangs totaled nine 3-pointers.
“I think for us, when we’re good from the 3-point line is when we don’t force it, we play the inside-out game and work the ball around,” Carson said.
LC’s worst quarter saw them score just eight points, but they only lost two points off their overall lead as their defense held the Indians to 10 points in the frame.
HHS had gotten within one point of tying the Mustangs in the second following an 8-0 run to open the quarter with points from Mason Swayne, Caleb Crawford, Mycroft and Ryan Scott to make it a 21-20 deficit with 5:15 left in the second.
From there, the Mustangs had their turn to add some points as Walker, Young and McLaughlin (a 3-pointer at the buzzer) scored seven LC points to Hillsboro’s two points (a layup from Hayden Haines) for the five-point halftime lead at 28-23.
LC opened the third with points from Pierson and Conner, forcing the Indians to call a timeout. HHS answered with a basket from Ethan Watson, but LC responded with a 3-pointer from McLaughlin and two points in the paint by Conner for a 37-25 lead with 4:49 left in the quarter.
Eventually, HHS had a 3-pointer from Haines and two points by Mycroft to total their 11 third-quarter points, while LC had points by Pierson, McLaughlin, Hilt and Conner in the third as they increased their lead to 48-34.
LC’s points in the fourth frame included eight points by Pierson (including a 3-pointer with 3:15 left in regulation), along with McLaughlin adding five points, and Roger Saylor and Walker each scoring two points in the frame.
“I thought everybody that got into the game tonight contributed, the bench had high energy and it was just a fun basketball game for us,” Carson said.
HHS in the fourth had a 3-pointer by Scott, two points from Gavin Temple, a free throw make by Jakwon Clark and two points by Crawford.
For the game, the Indians and Mustangs were around even with 14 turnovers each, and from the free-throw line HHS was 6-of-8 and LC finished 2-of-3.
Next for the Indians is a non-conference game at home vs. Fairfield Thursday.
In the freshman game, LC defeated the Indians, 37-32 in overtime. Chase Smaltz led LC with 14 points, followed by Conner Tyree with 12 points. The leading scorer for HHS in the freshmen game was Gavin Puckett with 11 points.
The JV game saw LC win by a 39-35 score. LC was led by Tyler Stevens with 15 points, and the Indians were led by Ryan Scott with 11 points.
LC will host the Div. I SHAC champion West Union Dragons on Friday, Feb. 16 in a Southern Hills Athletic Conference game.