Mustangs rally in 4th to defeat Southeastern
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
DODSONVILLE — The difference from the first quarter to the fourth quarter for the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs was how a team can go from cold to hot in a matter of varying quarters.
For LC, their first quarter wasn't one to remember, but by the time each quarter clicked away, the host Mustangs played better and better against the visiting Southeastern Panthers in their non-conference matchup.
When it was all said and done, a go-ahead 3-pointer by junior Zach Blankenship with 47 seconds left in regulation not only brought the LC faithful to their feet, it broke a 76-76 tie to put the Mustangs in front for good.
"In the first half, Zach missed a shot and I said to him, 'You have to have confidence you are going to make it.' Call me psychic … I don't know, but when that ball left his hands I knew (he was making the shot).
"Zach is a great kid, and that was about as huge a shot he's probably hit in his career up to this point."
That shot, which LC head coach Matt Carson said he "knew was going in when it left Blankenship's hands," led to LC defeating the SE Panthers, 82-76.
The win by the Mustangs leaves them at 1-1 overall after two games this season, as they lost their season opener on Friday night at Miami Trace by a score of 78-69.
But Saturday was about winning, though after three quarters LC trailed, 53-52.
The start of the fourth saw River Mullins sink a basket with 7:19 on the clock to push LC in front, 54-53. That was the start of a 10-0 run by LC, with Christian Inman scoring two points off a steal and fast break to make it a three-point lead. Inman finished the game with 13 points.
From there, Josh Ahrmann took a charge for LC, which under 20 seconds later led to a 3-pointer from Mullins, then two more points off a fast break by Inman to put LC ahead 61-53 with 5:49 left in regulation.
Later in the fourth, Devin Pierson converted a three-point play to put LC ahead nine points, and later Inman made two free throws to make it a 66-57 lead. With 3:27 left in the final frame, Inman connected with a jumper, giving LC a 70-63 advantage.
Pierson led LC with a game-high 30 points, giving him 64 points after two games this season as he scored 34 points on Friday night in the season opener.
SE then began a comeback, scoring two points off free throws from Justin Dye and Tyler Cartee to make it a seven-point deficit for the visiting Panthers. Cartee totaled 19 points for SE.
Following that play, Pierson fouled out with 2:53 remaining, and SE took advantage with a 3-pointer and jumper by Dylan Miles to cut LC's lead to two points at 72-70 with 2:21 on the clock. Miles finished with 23 points.
[[In-content Ad]]Later, the score was tied at 74 off a free throw from Miles, but Mullins answered with two free throws to put LC back in front at 76-74. Again, SE answered with two points from Isaiah Dresbach.
That was when Blankenship sank the three ... and sealed the win.
Then there were the first three quarters for LC, where they trailed 15-8 after the first frame and 35-32 at halftime, which included a 3-pointer by Joe Giordano at the buzzer.
Also in the second, it was Pierson who turned the mood of the game around, scoring 13 points in the quarter, including 11 straight points scored by LC.
"The difference from the first quarter to the rest of the game is we started guarding people," Carson said. "In the first quarter, we didn't guard anybody, and that's on me.
"We've got to get better at guarding the basketball, but I will say this, we have a saying, 'Keep on Digging,' and these kids aren't quitters. They keep on fighting, and (Saturday) was a full team team effort, and I'm just extremely proud of all the guys."
In the third, LC outscored SE, 20-18.
"This was a good weekend for us," Carson said. "We can be upset about how we played, but let's make no mistake about it, (Southeastern) is a very good basketball team. They are going to compete in their conference, and they're in our sectional.
"There is a reason we schedule these games early in the season … I know we are an inexperienced group, but we have to find out what we're made of early on. I think this weekend we found out that we are going to compete every time we step out on the floor, and I'm hoping we are going to get better each time we step out on the floor."
On JV play against SE on Saturday, LC fell to the Panthers, 52-49. LC was led in scoring by Brian Lampkin and Morgan Ryan with 18 points each.
In the freshman game, LC defeated SE, 32-19. Colton Angles and Noble Walker led LC with eight points each.
- - - -
On Friday night, LC was defeated by Miami Trace, 78-69 to open the 2014-15 season.
Leading LC was Pierson with 34 points, followed by Tristan Wilbanks with 13 points.
Mt led 39-38 at halftime.
Leading MT in scoring were Cedric Pettiford and Tyrae Pettiford with 19 points each and Deandre Pettiford with 18. Brad Warnock was also in double figures for MT with 14 points.
For LC, their first quarter wasn't one to remember, but by the time each quarter clicked away, the host Mustangs played better and better against the visiting Southeastern Panthers in their non-conference matchup.
When it was all said and done, a go-ahead 3-pointer by junior Zach Blankenship with 47 seconds left in regulation not only brought the LC faithful to their feet, it broke a 76-76 tie to put the Mustangs in front for good.
"In the first half, Zach missed a shot and I said to him, 'You have to have confidence you are going to make it.' Call me psychic … I don't know, but when that ball left his hands I knew (he was making the shot).
"Zach is a great kid, and that was about as huge a shot he's probably hit in his career up to this point."
That shot, which LC head coach Matt Carson said he "knew was going in when it left Blankenship's hands," led to LC defeating the SE Panthers, 82-76.
The win by the Mustangs leaves them at 1-1 overall after two games this season, as they lost their season opener on Friday night at Miami Trace by a score of 78-69.
But Saturday was about winning, though after three quarters LC trailed, 53-52.
The start of the fourth saw River Mullins sink a basket with 7:19 on the clock to push LC in front, 54-53. That was the start of a 10-0 run by LC, with Christian Inman scoring two points off a steal and fast break to make it a three-point lead. Inman finished the game with 13 points.
From there, Josh Ahrmann took a charge for LC, which under 20 seconds later led to a 3-pointer from Mullins, then two more points off a fast break by Inman to put LC ahead 61-53 with 5:49 left in regulation.
Later in the fourth, Devin Pierson converted a three-point play to put LC ahead nine points, and later Inman made two free throws to make it a 66-57 lead. With 3:27 left in the final frame, Inman connected with a jumper, giving LC a 70-63 advantage.
Pierson led LC with a game-high 30 points, giving him 64 points after two games this season as he scored 34 points on Friday night in the season opener.
SE then began a comeback, scoring two points off free throws from Justin Dye and Tyler Cartee to make it a seven-point deficit for the visiting Panthers. Cartee totaled 19 points for SE.
Following that play, Pierson fouled out with 2:53 remaining, and SE took advantage with a 3-pointer and jumper by Dylan Miles to cut LC's lead to two points at 72-70 with 2:21 on the clock. Miles finished with 23 points.
[[In-content Ad]]Later, the score was tied at 74 off a free throw from Miles, but Mullins answered with two free throws to put LC back in front at 76-74. Again, SE answered with two points from Isaiah Dresbach.
That was when Blankenship sank the three ... and sealed the win.
Then there were the first three quarters for LC, where they trailed 15-8 after the first frame and 35-32 at halftime, which included a 3-pointer by Joe Giordano at the buzzer.
Also in the second, it was Pierson who turned the mood of the game around, scoring 13 points in the quarter, including 11 straight points scored by LC.
"The difference from the first quarter to the rest of the game is we started guarding people," Carson said. "In the first quarter, we didn't guard anybody, and that's on me.
"We've got to get better at guarding the basketball, but I will say this, we have a saying, 'Keep on Digging,' and these kids aren't quitters. They keep on fighting, and (Saturday) was a full team team effort, and I'm just extremely proud of all the guys."
In the third, LC outscored SE, 20-18.
"This was a good weekend for us," Carson said. "We can be upset about how we played, but let's make no mistake about it, (Southeastern) is a very good basketball team. They are going to compete in their conference, and they're in our sectional.
"There is a reason we schedule these games early in the season … I know we are an inexperienced group, but we have to find out what we're made of early on. I think this weekend we found out that we are going to compete every time we step out on the floor, and I'm hoping we are going to get better each time we step out on the floor."
On JV play against SE on Saturday, LC fell to the Panthers, 52-49. LC was led in scoring by Brian Lampkin and Morgan Ryan with 18 points each.
In the freshman game, LC defeated SE, 32-19. Colton Angles and Noble Walker led LC with eight points each.
- - - -
On Friday night, LC was defeated by Miami Trace, 78-69 to open the 2014-15 season.
Leading LC was Pierson with 34 points, followed by Tristan Wilbanks with 13 points.
Mt led 39-38 at halftime.
Leading MT in scoring were Cedric Pettiford and Tyrae Pettiford with 19 points each and Deandre Pettiford with 18. Brad Warnock was also in double figures for MT with 14 points.