Mustangs break away for dominating victory
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
DODSONVILLE — The Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs overcame a somewhat slow start in the first couple minutes of their Southern Hills Athletic Conference opener and couldn't be stopped by the visiting North Adams Green Devils, as LC easily defeated their conference foe, 63-26.
The Tuesday night win by the host Mustangs saw them trail by a 6-5 score with 5:16 left in the opening quarter, but that deficit didn't last much longer. LC answered the one-point deficit with a 16-2 run in the final 4:52 of the quarter for a 21-8 lead, and they never looked back.
"We try to stress 'let the defense dictate the fast break,'" LC head coach Matt Carson said. "Everyone played hard, and it has to be like that every game. We have to play defense and box out, which I was pleased with in this game."
Before the run by LC (1-0, 1-1), there were an onslaught of 3-pointers to open the game with Hank Sparks of the Green Devils (0-1, 1-1) starting the scoring, followed by five straight points (including a 3-pointer) from Christian Inman.
From there, Sparks sank another 3-point bucket for the 6-5 advantage. Sparks and Blake Bradley each led the Green Devils with eight points.
Then the entire landscape changed from the 4:52 mark until the final buzzer sounded with Inman adding another two points, followed by six straight points from Pierson, including once on a fast break off a no-look pass in transition from Tristan Wilbanks, who totaled eight points, with 3:26 left in the first for an 11-6 lead.
Ryan Inman added a fast break layup, while Wilbanks sank a jumper, then scored on a fast break of his own with a pass from Josh Ahrmann in the paint, increasing the LC advantage to 16 points with 1:23 left on the clock. Ahrmann scored four points in the second half.
Pierson ended the 16 straight points off a pass from Chaz Lanier, who scored four points of his own in the second half.
[[In-content Ad]]With a 13-point lead at the start of the second, the Mustangs and Green Devils combined for 15 points as Pierson ended the first half outscoring the visitors himself at 14-12.
Pierson and Ryan Inman finished the game outscoring their opponents combined, with Pierson leading with 16 points and Inman with 14. Inman collected a double-double as he also grabbed 14 rebounds.
"It was good (Tuesday) to see us put everything we practice together," Carson said. "I'm proud of the kids, and they continue to get better. They get along with each other, and it was good to see everyone contribute on the defensive end. I'm just really pleased with the effort."
LC took complete control of the game in the third quarter, leaving no doubt they were going to win their first game of the season, scoring 23 points in the third while holding NAHS to four points in the quarter for a 53-16 lead.
With LC emptying the bench in the fourth, each team scored 10 points.
Also scoring points in the game for LC were Gage Waits with five points (one 3-pointer), Jordan Wilt with three points and Marc Blankenship with two points.
LC was 11-of-17 from the free-throw line, while NAHS didn't attempt a free-throw shot. LC also collected 16 rebounds as a team.
The Mustangs will play again on Friday, Dec. 6 as they travel to face the West Union Dragons.
In JV play, LC defeated NAHS 43-34, with Morgan Ryan leading LC with 10 points. Caleb Wagers led NA with a game-high 13 points.
The Tuesday night win by the host Mustangs saw them trail by a 6-5 score with 5:16 left in the opening quarter, but that deficit didn't last much longer. LC answered the one-point deficit with a 16-2 run in the final 4:52 of the quarter for a 21-8 lead, and they never looked back.
"We try to stress 'let the defense dictate the fast break,'" LC head coach Matt Carson said. "Everyone played hard, and it has to be like that every game. We have to play defense and box out, which I was pleased with in this game."
Before the run by LC (1-0, 1-1), there were an onslaught of 3-pointers to open the game with Hank Sparks of the Green Devils (0-1, 1-1) starting the scoring, followed by five straight points (including a 3-pointer) from Christian Inman.
From there, Sparks sank another 3-point bucket for the 6-5 advantage. Sparks and Blake Bradley each led the Green Devils with eight points.
Then the entire landscape changed from the 4:52 mark until the final buzzer sounded with Inman adding another two points, followed by six straight points from Pierson, including once on a fast break off a no-look pass in transition from Tristan Wilbanks, who totaled eight points, with 3:26 left in the first for an 11-6 lead.
Ryan Inman added a fast break layup, while Wilbanks sank a jumper, then scored on a fast break of his own with a pass from Josh Ahrmann in the paint, increasing the LC advantage to 16 points with 1:23 left on the clock. Ahrmann scored four points in the second half.
Pierson ended the 16 straight points off a pass from Chaz Lanier, who scored four points of his own in the second half.
[[In-content Ad]]With a 13-point lead at the start of the second, the Mustangs and Green Devils combined for 15 points as Pierson ended the first half outscoring the visitors himself at 14-12.
Pierson and Ryan Inman finished the game outscoring their opponents combined, with Pierson leading with 16 points and Inman with 14. Inman collected a double-double as he also grabbed 14 rebounds.
"It was good (Tuesday) to see us put everything we practice together," Carson said. "I'm proud of the kids, and they continue to get better. They get along with each other, and it was good to see everyone contribute on the defensive end. I'm just really pleased with the effort."
LC took complete control of the game in the third quarter, leaving no doubt they were going to win their first game of the season, scoring 23 points in the third while holding NAHS to four points in the quarter for a 53-16 lead.
With LC emptying the bench in the fourth, each team scored 10 points.
Also scoring points in the game for LC were Gage Waits with five points (one 3-pointer), Jordan Wilt with three points and Marc Blankenship with two points.
LC was 11-of-17 from the free-throw line, while NAHS didn't attempt a free-throw shot. LC also collected 16 rebounds as a team.
The Mustangs will play again on Friday, Dec. 6 as they travel to face the West Union Dragons.
In JV play, LC defeated NAHS 43-34, with Morgan Ryan leading LC with 10 points. Caleb Wagers led NA with a game-high 13 points.