Mustangs 'survive and advance'
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
WAVERLY — Wednesday's Division III SE District Sectional Semifinal game between the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs and the Portsmouth West Senators resembled a 3-point contest, as both teams combined for 24 3-pointers.
Shots beyond the arc or not, it was a defensive stop by the Mustangs that kept their season alive as they defeated the Senators, 76-72, advancing the Mustangs to the sectional final on Saturday.
As for that defensive stop that kept the Mustangs (17-5) in the lead, it was a block by senior Ryan Inman described by LC head coach Matt Carson as "the block heard 'round the world."
"When we took a timeout, I told them, 'Look, we haven't played our best defense tonight, but let's play our best defense right now.' Credit Ryan, he stepped up and had a huge block … and I told him it was the block heard 'round the world.
"The block got us where we wanted to be. We got back to the free-throw line, made the free throw and extended the lead to six. It was gutsy … that's all I can say … gutsy, gutsy, gutsy, and this time of the year, you just want to win. Survive and advance and we did that."
Inman also finished with 22 points, making 11 two-point baskets.
Besides the last defensive stand to keep their season alive, the Mustangs, along with the Senators, turned the sectional semifinal game into a three-point shooting contest with LC winning that battle as well, as they connected 13 times from beyond the arc, while PWHS made 11.
Of the 13 3-pointers by the No. 6 seeded Mustangs, six were made by sophomore Devin Pierson, who led all scorers with 30 points. Of the 30 points by Pierson, 19 came in the final two quarters. The sophomore was also 4-for-7 from the free-throw line.
Then there was the first-half performance of Christian Inman, who totaled 12 points, all in the first two quarters. All 12 of his points were scored from beyond the arc, with four 3-pointers, two in each of the first two quarters.
"Four threes … he had an outstanding first half, and that helped us a lot, especially with Gage being out of the game," Carson said. "I told them at halftime, 'Anything you accomplish is great.' You have to have some kind of adversity, and this team has faced adversity all year.
"These kids give everything they have and have answered that call all year."
Also making a critical 3-pointer for the Mustangs was Gage Waits, who sank one in the third frame with 2:48 on the clock that put LC ahead 55-42.
A win is a win in the postseason, and this was not an easy win by any means for the Mustangs.
"The name of the game this time of year is survive and advance," Carson said. "We knew they had two or three kids who could step out there and shoot the three, and they did that (Wednesday)," Carson said. "This felt like an NBA game.
"Teams made runs, but I have to say our kids stepped up when they needed to, and I'm thoroughly proud of them."
As for the game of various runs by each team, it was the No. 11 seeded Senators (9-13) who led after the first quarter by a 20-18 score. In the first, it was LC having 12 of their 18 points coming from beyond the arc as Pierson and Christian Inman each made two treys in the first eight minutes, while Ryan Inman scored six points in the first.[[In-content Ad]]
On the other side of the court, the Senators had their own standout in Michael Hafer, who tallied 15 points in the first frame, which included three 3-pointers. Hafer followed his first quarter with two more 3-pointers in the second as he had 21 first-half points.
For the game, Hafer totaled 27 points, including a total of six 3-pointers.
LC outscored the Senators, 17-14 in the second quarter for a halftime lead of 35-34 with Marc Blankenship, Ryan Inman, Pierson and Christian Inman all contributing to the second-quarter scoring.
The Mustangs had their highest quarter scoring in the third by knocking out 24 points, compared to 18 by the Senators, where LC built a 59-52 advantage after 24 minutes of play.
In the fourth, PWHS got to within three points of tying the score with 2:27 on the clock following a 3-pointer (the final one of the game) by Steve Irwin for a 71-69 score. Irwin finished with 20 points.
PW again got close, this time trailing by two points following two points by Irwin for a 73-71 score with 1:53 left on the clock.
Then the block happened by Ryan Inman, which was later followed by free-throw conversions by Waits for the eventual four-point LC victory.
LC will now play in the sectional finals for the second consecutive season, as they were sectional champions one year ago. This year, for the sectional finals, the Mustangs will be facing No. 3 seeded Portsmouth (17-4) at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22 at Waverly High School.
Portsmouth defeated Westfall on Wednesday, 75-53 in their sectional semifinal game.
When asked about Portsmouth, Carson described their sectional final opponent in three words:
"Quick. Athletic. Good."
Shots beyond the arc or not, it was a defensive stop by the Mustangs that kept their season alive as they defeated the Senators, 76-72, advancing the Mustangs to the sectional final on Saturday.
As for that defensive stop that kept the Mustangs (17-5) in the lead, it was a block by senior Ryan Inman described by LC head coach Matt Carson as "the block heard 'round the world."
"When we took a timeout, I told them, 'Look, we haven't played our best defense tonight, but let's play our best defense right now.' Credit Ryan, he stepped up and had a huge block … and I told him it was the block heard 'round the world.
"The block got us where we wanted to be. We got back to the free-throw line, made the free throw and extended the lead to six. It was gutsy … that's all I can say … gutsy, gutsy, gutsy, and this time of the year, you just want to win. Survive and advance and we did that."
Inman also finished with 22 points, making 11 two-point baskets.
Besides the last defensive stand to keep their season alive, the Mustangs, along with the Senators, turned the sectional semifinal game into a three-point shooting contest with LC winning that battle as well, as they connected 13 times from beyond the arc, while PWHS made 11.
Of the 13 3-pointers by the No. 6 seeded Mustangs, six were made by sophomore Devin Pierson, who led all scorers with 30 points. Of the 30 points by Pierson, 19 came in the final two quarters. The sophomore was also 4-for-7 from the free-throw line.
Then there was the first-half performance of Christian Inman, who totaled 12 points, all in the first two quarters. All 12 of his points were scored from beyond the arc, with four 3-pointers, two in each of the first two quarters.
"Four threes … he had an outstanding first half, and that helped us a lot, especially with Gage being out of the game," Carson said. "I told them at halftime, 'Anything you accomplish is great.' You have to have some kind of adversity, and this team has faced adversity all year.
"These kids give everything they have and have answered that call all year."
Also making a critical 3-pointer for the Mustangs was Gage Waits, who sank one in the third frame with 2:48 on the clock that put LC ahead 55-42.
A win is a win in the postseason, and this was not an easy win by any means for the Mustangs.
"The name of the game this time of year is survive and advance," Carson said. "We knew they had two or three kids who could step out there and shoot the three, and they did that (Wednesday)," Carson said. "This felt like an NBA game.
"Teams made runs, but I have to say our kids stepped up when they needed to, and I'm thoroughly proud of them."
As for the game of various runs by each team, it was the No. 11 seeded Senators (9-13) who led after the first quarter by a 20-18 score. In the first, it was LC having 12 of their 18 points coming from beyond the arc as Pierson and Christian Inman each made two treys in the first eight minutes, while Ryan Inman scored six points in the first.[[In-content Ad]]
On the other side of the court, the Senators had their own standout in Michael Hafer, who tallied 15 points in the first frame, which included three 3-pointers. Hafer followed his first quarter with two more 3-pointers in the second as he had 21 first-half points.
For the game, Hafer totaled 27 points, including a total of six 3-pointers.
LC outscored the Senators, 17-14 in the second quarter for a halftime lead of 35-34 with Marc Blankenship, Ryan Inman, Pierson and Christian Inman all contributing to the second-quarter scoring.
The Mustangs had their highest quarter scoring in the third by knocking out 24 points, compared to 18 by the Senators, where LC built a 59-52 advantage after 24 minutes of play.
In the fourth, PWHS got to within three points of tying the score with 2:27 on the clock following a 3-pointer (the final one of the game) by Steve Irwin for a 71-69 score. Irwin finished with 20 points.
PW again got close, this time trailing by two points following two points by Irwin for a 73-71 score with 1:53 left on the clock.
Then the block happened by Ryan Inman, which was later followed by free-throw conversions by Waits for the eventual four-point LC victory.
LC will now play in the sectional finals for the second consecutive season, as they were sectional champions one year ago. This year, for the sectional finals, the Mustangs will be facing No. 3 seeded Portsmouth (17-4) at 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22 at Waverly High School.
Portsmouth defeated Westfall on Wednesday, 75-53 in their sectional semifinal game.
When asked about Portsmouth, Carson described their sectional final opponent in three words:
"Quick. Athletic. Good."