LINCOLN: McConnell Scored Winning Points Of Game

minute elapsed in the final frame.

“Colton Barnum really stepped up playing inside,” Rich said. “His defense really gives us a boost. He might not be as big as some of them but he’s got the heart.”

Barnum put back another Lincoln miss before Nick Deleon elevated to snap a short baseline jumper. A gamble to try and steal the ball was thwarted by Lincoln guard, Dalton Simmons, who controlled the dribble and saw Barnum open for another layup pushing Lincoln back to a 4-point cushion, at 46-42, at the 5:12 mark.

Nine seconds later Mangrum got free inside for another Pea Ridge layup. The Blackhawks had an opportunity to take the lead but Hall’s 3-pointer was off the mark and Mangrum was called for an over-the-back foul. Escareno came up big with a driving bank shot but Deleon converted a pair of three throws with 2:17 showing to keep Pea Ridge within, 48-46.

McConnell then drove the middle and banked in a score before sophomore Zach Davis, playing for injured Pea Ridge starter, Levi Pitts, drained a 3-pointer, making the score 50-49 with 1:30 to go.

“That’s one thing Zach can do. He always shoots the ball real well,” Clark said. “Now, we’re going to depend on him to do some other things as well.”

Pea Ridge had another chance but a 3- pointer bounced out. Hall committed a foul stopping the clock with 39 seconds to go but coming out of the timeout, McConnell drove hard to the hoop which wasn’t guarded and scored what turned out to be the winning points.

“We talked about it in the timeout. I told the guys we want to run some clock but if you’re open to shoot it,” Rich said. “Dylan got the ball and squared up like he’s supposed to. He saw the lane and did an excellent job of taking it to the hole.”

MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Dylan McConnell, of Lincoln, drives against Pea Ridge’s Zach Davis. McConnell scored the winning bucket on a drive with 17 seconds left to lift Lincoln to a 52-50 Homecoming victory over Pea Ridge in boys basketball on Friday.