Mustangs fall to Bethel-Tate in OT

     DODSONVILLE - On Saturday the undefeated Bethel Tate Tigers and the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs battled into overtime with the Tigers (5-0) coming out on top with a 15-0 run in the OT frame, defeating L-C 67-52 at LCHS, in non-league play.

     “They are an extremely tall and athletic ball club, with three starters at 6-4,” Lynchburg-Clay head coach Jason McLaughlin said.

     Louie Schlajo led the Tigers with a game-high 28 points,scoring 20 in the first half.

     Bethel -Tate came out fast in the non-league affair outscoring the L-C Mustangs 34-20.

     “We made some adjustments at halftime and we started to play better,” McLaughlin said.

     In the third quarter the Mustangs outscored the Tigers 13-8 coming within nine points of the Bethel-Tate advantage after three quarters (42-33).  

     The Mustangs continued to have the momentum in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Tigers 19-10, sending the game into overtime tied at 52-52.  

     “In overtime their size and athleticism began to wear us down, coupled with the fact that point guard Jorden Dehaas fouled out late in regulation,” McLaughlin said. “We also had three other starters at four fouls each.”

      The Tigers outscored L-C 15-0 in overtime.  

     “The final score seemed worse than it actually was because we had to foul to get the ball back,” McLaughlin said. “They (Bethel-Tate) made their free throws and we were unable to hit shots in overtime.”

     Bethel-Tate finished the game 20 of 28 from the free-throw line, as the Mustangs were 4 of 7 in the five-quarter game.

     Austin Fawley and Steven Collins led L-C in scoring with 12 points each. Dylan Noll had 10 and Aaron Skaggs finished with eight points. Dehaas and Dallas Puckett rounded out the scoring with five each.

     “Our kids played extremely hard against a team that has possibly one of the best players we will face all year,” McLaughlin said. “I was very proud of their effort and we showed, again, our ability to work as a team with positive results, although we didn't win. We have now a couple weeks of practice to regroup, fix some things on both ends of the court.”

     L-C will face county counterpart McClain on Saturday, Jan. 2 at the Patriot Center, located on the campus of Southern State Community College in Hillsboro.