Mustangs are sectional champions
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
WAVERLY — It can be said the third time was the charm for the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs or it was a decade in the making, but either way it is described, the Mustangs are headed to the Convocation Center.
The Mustangs led the Peebles Indians for most of the game at Waverly High School, lost the lead in the fourth, but scored first in overtime and set the tone in the four-minute period to win by a 78-68 score in what was described by LC head coach Jason McLaughlin as one of their best games of the season in the Division III SE District Sectional final.
Peebles kept the game close with fourth-quarter heroics and forcing overtime, but the overtime period, the momentum and eventually the victory went in favor of the Mustangs, who return to the district semifinals for the first time since '02 (where LC also defeated PHS), as this was the seventh sectional title for the LC boys basketball program.
"I knew coming in this would be a really tight game," McLaughlin said. "Both games we played before went down to the final seconds. Our guys played harder than they've ever played all year in this game, and they had some toughness down the stretch to stay in the defense we were running. I couldn't be prouder of these guys.
"It's a great feeling earning this win. I told the guys it is fun playing there (at the Convocation Center), and I think they really wanted this trip. They really showed a lot of heart and toughness."
The Indians (14-8) were a force late in the fourth, as they went on a 12-1 run in the final 3:26 to force the overtime period, making it a 64-64 score.
Though it seemed the Indians had all the momentum entering OT, the Mustangs settled down and forced the game go to their pace, just like in the first quarter, as senior Alec Smith broke the tie, and after a bucket by Beau Justice of PHS, Smith was there again, this time connecting from the 3-point line with 2:27 left on the OT clock for a 69-66 lead.
Following a turnover by PHS, Tyler Allen, who had the hot-hand throughout parts of the game, sank his fifth 3-pointer of the contest, this time with 1:55 on the scoreboard for a 72-66 Mustang lead. Allen finished with 17 points.
"Tyler didn't practice the past two days as he's been rehabbing an injury," McLaughlin said. "He came off the bench and was just on fire (Saturday). When we get that kind of bench production, we are a pretty good team."
PHS connected with two free throws, as that would be their final points of the game, with LC scoring the game's final six points, all by Smith, who finished with a game-high 32 points, including 24 points in the second half with 11 in the overtime. Smith added a double-double with 13 rebounds (four offensive) and three blocked shots. Smith was 11-of-11 in two-point field goal attempts and 12-of-14 overall shooting for the game. He was 7-of-11 from the free-throw line.
LC outscored the Indians, 14-4 in the OT. For the game, LC shot 24-of-43 (56 percent) from the field.
"I thought Peebles got out and pressured us, and it ultimately hurt them a little bit," McLaughlin said. "The first game we played them at their place was an overtime game, so we've been there before with them, but it didn't come out the way we wanted it to the first time.
"We scored first in overtime this time, and I felt that set the tone, as they had to play from behind. We hit shots late and made our free throws in OT, winning us the game."
In their previous games this season, the Indians had defeated LC twice, including once in overtime, but this time around, the Mustangs were ready and battle-tested as LC has overcome an 0-7 start to this season to move to an overall record of 12-11.[[In-content Ad]]
"I really don't think there was a big difference between this game and our first two games with Peebles," McLaughlin said. "Both games were nip-and-tuck, but (Saturday) we handled the pressure just a little bit better because it took us to the wire in regulation and overtime. It was just this time we handled the pressure better."
Since Dec. 29, the Mustangs are 12-4, as they are on a current win streak of eight straight wins.
"When we started out 0-7, I told the team they are really good players, but we have to do the things we need to do to win basketball games," McLaughlin said. "We started doing that around Christmas time. We've started to get the ball inside, people making shots, passing the ball when they need to.
"We are just playing with a lot of confidence on offense right now."
The high-emotion game from not only in the court, but in the stands, brought out the best in both Southern Hills Athletic Conference teams, with the first quarter ending with a 16-16 score.
In the first, the score was tied three times at three, 11 and 16. PHS began the game with a 3-pointer from Justice, who ended with 28 points, but that three was equaled with a trey from the corner by Gage Waits with 6:50 left in the first-frame clock. Waits totaled 15 points.
Later in the quarter, a jumper by Devin Pierson and a 3-pointer by Allen put LC ahead 11-9. After the Indians tied the score at 11, Allen put the Mustangs ahead with his second 3-pointer of the quarter for a 14-11 advantage. Smith put LC ahead 16-13, but PHS ended the quarter with three straight points for the tied score.
LC ended the second with a one-point lead at 29-28, but not without a bit of disagreement depending on who you talk to, as the clock had less than a second remaining when a bucket by PHS was called off as officials said it wasn't tipped before the buzzer sounded, keeping LC ahead, 29-28.
As for the second frame, the score was tied twice at 19 and 21, but the quarter went back and forth. With 2:22 remaining in the first half, Peebles' Trent Arey (who totaled 11 points) put the Indians ahead 26-22 with a 3-pointer, but Waits answered with five consecutive points, including a 3-pointer of his own with 1:43 on the clock, pushing LC ahead 27-26.
Both team exchanged the lead again, though it was LC ending the quarter with the final points off points in the paint by Smith.
The Mustangs broke out in the third frame, outscoring PHS, 20-11. The quarter saw LC take the lead with 7:05 on the clock with points by Smith and not relinquish it until the 4:40 mark of the quarter when Mason Jackson sank two baskets from the charity stripe.
After those free throws, LC went on a run of 18-5 to end the third, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Allen, followed by a three-point play from Jacob Skaggs, all in a span of less than a minute for a 44-34 lead.
Inman scored the final LC points of the third with two free throws for their largest lead of the game of 12 points (they also led by 12 points with 5:35 left in the fourth) with around a minute remaining in the quarter.
In the fourth, Peebles forced the issue with the Mustangs, going to a full-court press defense, and it caused havoc for the Mustangs. PHS outscored LC, 25-15, and had a shot called off with seconds remaining.
The overtime was forced when the Indians sank a bucket with 1:40 on the clock.
From the free-throw line, LC was 21-of-30, while PHS went 12-of-16.
The Mustangs head to the Division III SE District semifinals as they will take on the Zane Trace Pioneers of the Scioto Valley Conference at the Convocation Center, located on the campus of Ohio University in Athens. The game will be played on Saturday, March 2 at 8:45 p.m.
The Mustangs led the Peebles Indians for most of the game at Waverly High School, lost the lead in the fourth, but scored first in overtime and set the tone in the four-minute period to win by a 78-68 score in what was described by LC head coach Jason McLaughlin as one of their best games of the season in the Division III SE District Sectional final.
Peebles kept the game close with fourth-quarter heroics and forcing overtime, but the overtime period, the momentum and eventually the victory went in favor of the Mustangs, who return to the district semifinals for the first time since '02 (where LC also defeated PHS), as this was the seventh sectional title for the LC boys basketball program.
"I knew coming in this would be a really tight game," McLaughlin said. "Both games we played before went down to the final seconds. Our guys played harder than they've ever played all year in this game, and they had some toughness down the stretch to stay in the defense we were running. I couldn't be prouder of these guys.
"It's a great feeling earning this win. I told the guys it is fun playing there (at the Convocation Center), and I think they really wanted this trip. They really showed a lot of heart and toughness."
The Indians (14-8) were a force late in the fourth, as they went on a 12-1 run in the final 3:26 to force the overtime period, making it a 64-64 score.
Though it seemed the Indians had all the momentum entering OT, the Mustangs settled down and forced the game go to their pace, just like in the first quarter, as senior Alec Smith broke the tie, and after a bucket by Beau Justice of PHS, Smith was there again, this time connecting from the 3-point line with 2:27 left on the OT clock for a 69-66 lead.
Following a turnover by PHS, Tyler Allen, who had the hot-hand throughout parts of the game, sank his fifth 3-pointer of the contest, this time with 1:55 on the scoreboard for a 72-66 Mustang lead. Allen finished with 17 points.
"Tyler didn't practice the past two days as he's been rehabbing an injury," McLaughlin said. "He came off the bench and was just on fire (Saturday). When we get that kind of bench production, we are a pretty good team."
PHS connected with two free throws, as that would be their final points of the game, with LC scoring the game's final six points, all by Smith, who finished with a game-high 32 points, including 24 points in the second half with 11 in the overtime. Smith added a double-double with 13 rebounds (four offensive) and three blocked shots. Smith was 11-of-11 in two-point field goal attempts and 12-of-14 overall shooting for the game. He was 7-of-11 from the free-throw line.
LC outscored the Indians, 14-4 in the OT. For the game, LC shot 24-of-43 (56 percent) from the field.
"I thought Peebles got out and pressured us, and it ultimately hurt them a little bit," McLaughlin said. "The first game we played them at their place was an overtime game, so we've been there before with them, but it didn't come out the way we wanted it to the first time.
"We scored first in overtime this time, and I felt that set the tone, as they had to play from behind. We hit shots late and made our free throws in OT, winning us the game."
In their previous games this season, the Indians had defeated LC twice, including once in overtime, but this time around, the Mustangs were ready and battle-tested as LC has overcome an 0-7 start to this season to move to an overall record of 12-11.[[In-content Ad]]
"I really don't think there was a big difference between this game and our first two games with Peebles," McLaughlin said. "Both games were nip-and-tuck, but (Saturday) we handled the pressure just a little bit better because it took us to the wire in regulation and overtime. It was just this time we handled the pressure better."
Since Dec. 29, the Mustangs are 12-4, as they are on a current win streak of eight straight wins.
"When we started out 0-7, I told the team they are really good players, but we have to do the things we need to do to win basketball games," McLaughlin said. "We started doing that around Christmas time. We've started to get the ball inside, people making shots, passing the ball when they need to.
"We are just playing with a lot of confidence on offense right now."
The high-emotion game from not only in the court, but in the stands, brought out the best in both Southern Hills Athletic Conference teams, with the first quarter ending with a 16-16 score.
In the first, the score was tied three times at three, 11 and 16. PHS began the game with a 3-pointer from Justice, who ended with 28 points, but that three was equaled with a trey from the corner by Gage Waits with 6:50 left in the first-frame clock. Waits totaled 15 points.
Later in the quarter, a jumper by Devin Pierson and a 3-pointer by Allen put LC ahead 11-9. After the Indians tied the score at 11, Allen put the Mustangs ahead with his second 3-pointer of the quarter for a 14-11 advantage. Smith put LC ahead 16-13, but PHS ended the quarter with three straight points for the tied score.
LC ended the second with a one-point lead at 29-28, but not without a bit of disagreement depending on who you talk to, as the clock had less than a second remaining when a bucket by PHS was called off as officials said it wasn't tipped before the buzzer sounded, keeping LC ahead, 29-28.
As for the second frame, the score was tied twice at 19 and 21, but the quarter went back and forth. With 2:22 remaining in the first half, Peebles' Trent Arey (who totaled 11 points) put the Indians ahead 26-22 with a 3-pointer, but Waits answered with five consecutive points, including a 3-pointer of his own with 1:43 on the clock, pushing LC ahead 27-26.
Both team exchanged the lead again, though it was LC ending the quarter with the final points off points in the paint by Smith.
The Mustangs broke out in the third frame, outscoring PHS, 20-11. The quarter saw LC take the lead with 7:05 on the clock with points by Smith and not relinquish it until the 4:40 mark of the quarter when Mason Jackson sank two baskets from the charity stripe.
After those free throws, LC went on a run of 18-5 to end the third, including back-to-back 3-pointers by Allen, followed by a three-point play from Jacob Skaggs, all in a span of less than a minute for a 44-34 lead.
Inman scored the final LC points of the third with two free throws for their largest lead of the game of 12 points (they also led by 12 points with 5:35 left in the fourth) with around a minute remaining in the quarter.
In the fourth, Peebles forced the issue with the Mustangs, going to a full-court press defense, and it caused havoc for the Mustangs. PHS outscored LC, 25-15, and had a shot called off with seconds remaining.
The overtime was forced when the Indians sank a bucket with 1:40 on the clock.
From the free-throw line, LC was 21-of-30, while PHS went 12-of-16.
The Mustangs head to the Division III SE District semifinals as they will take on the Zane Trace Pioneers of the Scioto Valley Conference at the Convocation Center, located on the campus of Ohio University in Athens. The game will be played on Saturday, March 2 at 8:45 p.m.