DeHaas, Mustangs gallop past Tigers in OT

     Lynchburg-Clay senior Jorden DeHaas put the game in his hands, and with two consecutive baskets, along with McClain's missed free throws down the stretch, the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs started off the New Year with a 54-53 overtime celebration against the Tigers.

     DeHaas’ baskets came in the final 26 seconds with the senior making the first of two big baskets with an underneath layup that wrapped around and went through the hoop to put the Mustangs within one point of the Tigers.

     After the Tigers had a chance to take a three-point lead but missed two free throws, DeHaas put on another scoring display as he charged his way to the paint and made another shot that wrapped around and went through the hoop, leaving nine seconds left on the clock.

     DeHaas finished with 12 points.

     “This is a very big win for our program,” Lynchburg-Clay head coach Jason McLaughlin said. “This was a tough game. We knew McClain was good on defense. We knew the key for us was to get to the second level and to make good decisions.

     “We stepped up on defense in the second half and played well.”

     McClain had numerous opportunities to take the win, but came up short at the free-throw line. In the five quarters played, McClain was 15 of 33, as they went 5 of 17 from the line in the fourth and overtime quarters.

     “Turnovers and not making simple plays hurt us,” McClain head coach Brent Eaton said. “We must take care of the ball and make the free ones. We have to do a lot of things right if we want to win games.”

     Scoring was low in the first quarter with each team playing defense that left the other to step up their defensive play.

     Austin Fawley knocked down a 3-pointer for the Mustangs after Zach Matracia sank a free throw for the Tigers for a 3-1 LCHS lead minutes into the first quarter. Caleb Gregory tied the score at three, but quickly the Mustangs came back with a put back bucket at the 5:05 mark of the first.

     With 4:34 left in the same quarter, McClain’s Logan Wise sank a 3-ball to put the Tigers back on top at 6-5.

     Holding a two-point advantage headed into the second quarter, the Mustangs allowed the Tigers to tie the game at 11 with a jumper from Gregory.

     Both teams continued to counter each other’s baskets until Lucas Polley scored three straight points for the Tigers to give MHS the top spot at 22-19 with 1:13 left in the first half. Polley scored a game-high 15 points.

     Wise put MHS ahead 26-21 with .33 left in the second by banking in two free throws, but Kyle Davis made a basket in the final seconds of the quarter to put LCHS down by three points at 26-23.

     At the start of the third quarter Wise put the Tigers ahead by six points with a 3-pointer, but the Mustangs didn’t buckle as they went on a 10-0 run to take the lead at 33-31 near the four minute mark of the third.

     The double-digit run began with Aaron Skaggs, Noll and Steven Collins knocking down buckets. Skaggs then tied the game at 31 and DeHaas sank a jumper for a 33-31 lead. Skaggs scored 12 points overall.

     At the 2:31 mark of the third Fawley drained a 3-pointer followed with Skaggs and DeHaas jump shots to end the third with six straight points. Fawley finished with eight points.

     LCHS extended their lead to 42-34 at the start of the fourth, but consecutive points from Matracia, Gregory and L.T. Walters tied the game at 42.

     With the game tied at 46, Skaggs put the Mustangs ahead with a bucket with 2:16 left in regulation. Matracia followed with a fall-away jumper with 1:56 left on the clock to tie the game at 48. Each team missed two free throws, and the Tigers were unable to get a final shot off after holding the ball for the final 45 seconds to force the game into overtime.

     Matracia gave MHS the initial lead in the OT period, but Fawley tied the game at 50. Polley put MHS in the lead at 53-50 with three free throws. LC took the lead with the two late baskets by DeHaas.

     Eaton stated he still believes in his team.

     “We have to make decisions that will help us win games and decide we want to make free throws,” Eaton said. “I have confidence in our team, but they have to have confidence in themselves.”

     McLaughlin said this was the first win the Mustangs have had against the Tigers since the 2000-01 season.

     “The guys worked hard and wanted this win,” McLaughlin said. “Our defense caused problems and I am excited for the team with this type of win.”

BOX SCORE

SCORE BY QUARTERS

LCHS – 11 12 17 8 6 – 54

MHS – 9 17 8 14 5 – 53

INDIVIDUAL STATS

LCHS (54)

Puckett 1 2-2 4, Skaggs 6 0-2 12, Davis 2 2-2 6, DeHaas 6 12, Fawley 1 (2) 8, Noll 2 4, Collins 4 0-1 8. TOTALS: 22 (2) 4-7 54.

MHS (53)

Mace 1 1-5 3, Wise 1 (2) 3-4 11, Polley 5 5-10 15, Gregory 5 3-4 13, Walters 1 0-1 2, Matracia 2 3-9 17, Mullikin 1 2. TOTALS: 16 (2) 15-33 53.