Balanced Lions snap Wildcats’ league winning streak, 59-56
JESSIEVILLE — Last time Jessieville played Episcopal Collegiate at home, the Lions’ star player went off for 38 points in a losing cause. Tuesday night at Jessieville Sports Arena, the Lions went with the balanced approach against a Wildcat star having a career night, the results working in their favor.
Jessieville needed contributions from everybody who took the court to end the Wildcats’ 38-game conference winning streak, topping two-time defending state champion Episcopal 59-56 to pull even in the loss column atop the Class 3A-5 standings.
Jessieville closed the deal against Episcopal this time after blowing a 4436 lead after three quarters and losing 74-59 Dec. 8 in Little Rock.
“We played them earlier in the year, and we felt like we could compete with them,” said Jessieville coach Eddie Lamb. “We had a lead on them through three quarters, and as great teams do at their home, they came back and got us. I felt like tonight if we could slow them down a little bit … we could come out ahead.”
The script was following a similar formula when Sawyer Lamb’s rebound putback early in the fourth quarter gave the Lions (14-6, 6-1) a 46-38 lead. Then Jessieville missed four shots and turned it over twice on its next six trips, Episcopal (9-9, 5-1) going up 4846 on a 10-0 run.
But unlike the year’s first meeting at Championship Gym, Jessieville had the answers down the stretch. Hunter Daley snapped the 3:03 scoring drought with a three-pointer from the right wing, Ricky Owens following with a steal at the top of the key and runout layup to make it 51-48.
“We knew Jessieville is a good team, and it’s always tough to come in here and play,” Episcopal coach Micah Marsh said. “It was a tough environment tonight. They just made a couple of more plays than we did. We got a little frustrated at times and kind of got out of our game. Lesson learned.”
Wildcat forward Kelvin Robinson, a season-high 38 points along with 11 rebounds, scored 22 in the second half including 10 straight at one point. He hit a layup off an Allie Freeman steal to make it 51-50 with 3:20 left, but the Lions responded with four straight for 55-50 — an Owens backdoor layup followed by Daley’s driving layup.
Daley then got loose with the ball, turning it over and hoisting a wild shot on the next two trips. Episcopal capitalized on both mistakes, Robinson’s pair of free throws followed by Kam Brasfield’s drive to make it 55-54 at 1:21.
Jessieville forced the Wildcats to foul three times on the next possession to reach the bonus, but Daley missed the front end of the one-and-one. Steven Benson then skied over Robinson for the offensive rebound, the junior post making it 57-54 with both one-andone free throws at the 20-second mark.
“Hunter misses it, and you want him on the line, and then Steven gets it and of the five on the court, I’d say he’s my worst free-throw shooter,” Eddie Lamb said. “But Benson, he’s done that for me for like four or five years (back to junior high). He’s just cool as ice up there, and he hit both of those free throws. I can’t say enough about Benson. He’s tough. Late in the games you want tough up there, and he’s tough. I told (assistant) Larry (Ray) that Ben-
son will hit them, and he did.”
Jessieville closely guarded the three-point line, and the Wildcats settled on an uncontested layin by Preston Pitts with five seconds left. Marsh called timeout to stop the clock, but Daley, who had 38 points in his last home meeting with Episcopal, beat the inbound pressure, got fouled and made both free throws with four seconds left.
“We want Hunter to have the ball,” said Lamb, Daley finally beating the Wildcats in his eighth attempt. “Obviously, I’m glad to see Hunter hit them like that.”
Robinson had one last look at a tying three, but the shot was off and Benson secured the rebound.
“He comes to play pretty much every night,” said Marsh of Robinson. “He’s a competitor. I wish he could’ve had 41 or 42.”
Episcopal led 18-11 after shooting 50 percent from the field (7 of 14) in the first quarter, Dylan Anderson keeping Jessieville close with seven points.
Then Jessieville gained confidence with a 9-0 run to end the first half ahead 28-27. During the surge, Marsh received a technical foul after he was not granted a timeout before Jessieville inbounded the ball, expressing his displeasure to the officials.
Jessieville’s six-man rotation continued to make plays, four scoring in double figures and with Owens and Alex Burleson each adding six points. Daley finished with 14 points and five assists despite shadowed by Freeman, a fellow all-state performer, for much of the game.
Anderson had 12 points, 10 in the first half. Sawyer Lamb spread his 11 points by scoring in every quarter, and Benson finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds, snatching nine boards in the second half.
“Having four kids score in double figures is great for our team,” said Eddie Lamb, who guided the last conference team to beat Episcopal on Jan. 19, 2013. “We’ve had some games where Hunter has scored 38 against them and we get beat. Tonight showed that when we get four guys in double figures, they have to guard four guys. Being victorious, that makes you feel good about the team, spreading the score out.”
Jessieville goes to Glen Rose on Friday for the latter’s homecoming game.