Lexington boys pick up crucial victory over Dutch Fork
Lexington needed two wins this week to stay in the thick of the Region 5-5A race. It picked up the first one Tuesday.
The Wildcats used an 8-0 run during a 2-minute span in the fourth quarter on their way to a 64-50 win over Dutch Fork. Lexington moves into third place in the region, a half-game ahead of the Silver Foxes.
Lexington (19-5, 7-3) is a half-game back of Blythewood, but it hosts the Bengals on Friday.
“We were kind of the odd team out coming into the week,” Lexington coach Bailey Harris said. “But we get to play two of the teams ahead of us in our place, and I told the kids this week that’s all you can ask for is a chance.”
Darius Bryant led the way for Lexington with 23 points, while Caleb Schackleford added 21.
Bryant got the Wildcats going in the second as he hit four consecutive 3-pointers to give Lexington a 28-16 lead at halftime.
Dutch Fork (13-7, 6-3) put the clamps on Bryant in the third quarter and held him to one point, while outscoring Lexington 21-8 to take a 37-36 lead.
The teams battled back and forth in the final quarter, with Lexington leading 47-45 with 3:20 left before taking control. Will Haney scored four points in a row in an 8-0 run as the Wildcats led 55-45 with 1:29 left.
“Right before the end of the third quarter, we seemed to right the ship,” Harris said. “Then in the fourth quarter, when we got the lead back, we were content to not turn it over and go to the free-throw line.”
Lexington hit 18 of 23 from the free-throw line in the second half.
Jordan Davis led Dutch Fork with 24 points.
“We couldn’t get stops in the fourth quarter,” Dutch Fork coach Matthew Brown said. “We were stagnant with the ball. Give Lexington all the credit. They did a good job on us defensively. Just wasn’t our night.”
DF: Jordan Davis 24, Warlick 5, Cannon 2, Thompson 4, Dunbar 7, Dean 8. L: Carver 6, Foulks 2, Caleb Schackleford 21, Darius Bryant 23, Will Haney 10, Neuberger 2.
Girls
Lexington 48,
Dutch Fork 42 (OT)
Alanna Langford hit three free throws with less than five seconds left in regulation to send it to overtime, and the Wildcats outscored the Silver Foxes 12-6 in the extra period.
Sam St. Andrews led Lexington with 14 points, while Olivia Thompson had 13.
Madison Golden led Dutch Fork with 17 before fouling out.
DF: Jones 2, Iyonna Harris 16, Mills 5, Madison Golden 17, Bishop 2. L: Sam St. Andrews 14, Olivia Thompson 13, Langford 9, McClary 6, Miller 4
This story was originally published January 31, 2017 at 11:08 PM.