Stellar Play By Lincoln’s Colton Barnum Boosts Wolves

LINCOLN BEATS GENTRY, 56-40

LINCOLN — Playing in the second of four back- to- back games on Feb. 6, Lincoln (10-11, 7-5) beat Gentry (4-15, 0-13), 56-40.

The Wolves were hitting on all cylinders to start the game. Colton Barnum scored the first 5 points inside and had a steal in the first minute of the game.

Dusty Haag got Gentry on the scoreboard but Dalton Simmons set up Barnum in the low post and then received a pass from Ossy Escareno after a steal to convert a lay-up.

Lincoln’s Shandon Goldman and Gentry’s Blake Boyd traded 3-point shots and the Wolves went in front, 17-5, on an Escareno trifecta created by Payton Hulse’s drive and dish.

Gentry coach Sean Price called time-out and the Pioneers regrouped cutting Lincoln’s lead to 25-24 at halftime. Haag hit a 3pointer from the corner and Boyd nailed 2 treys from the upper perimeter during Gentry’s 19- 8 run.

“Blake Boyd can shoot the basketball. We have a lot of confidence in him to knock down shots,” Price said. “He’s a very smart basketball player, who knows how to do little things to give others an opportunity to get shots.”

“We’re still just like last night [a 48-40 Feb. 5 loss at Ozark], trying to get over that illness, moving slower, not rotating as well as before that break,” said Lincoln coach Tim Rich.

Gentry led briefly in the third period with Brent Barker scoring twice to put the Pioneers ahead, 2827, at the 5:37 mark but Barnum put in a Lincoln miss and McConnell spotted up for a 3-pointer from the right wing.

Barker again had consecutive buckets for the Pioneers but couldn’t convert a 3- point play to tie it and Barnum’s offensive rebound just beat the buzzer, giving Lincoln a 38-33 lead at the close of the third quarter.

Lincoln outscored Gentry 18-7 in the fourth to put the game away, winning 56-40.

“Gentry went through that one spurt where they were shooting the lights out but the boys responded well by not panicking. Colton Barnum got some good looks and hit the boards.” Rich said. “Colton Barnum had a really good game tonight. He turned into cleanup duty. We’s doing our share of misses.”

LINCOLN 56, GENTRY 40

Gentry 12 12 9 7 — 40

Lincoln 21 4 13 18 — 56

GENTRY (4-15, 0-13): Dusty Haag 4 7-15 16, Blake Boyd 4 0-0 12, Brent Barker 5 0-1 10, Dustin Stoufflet 1 0-0 2. Totals 14 7-16 40.

LINCOLN (11-11, 7-5): Ossy Escareno 1 2-2 5, Colton Barnum 8 5-8 21, Payton Hulse 1 2-2 4, Dylan McConnell 4 2-4 12, Dalton Simmons 3 0-2 6, Shandon Goldman 2 0-0 6, Justin Brewer 0 0-0 0, Drew Harris 1 0-0 2. Totals 20 11-18 56.

3-point goals: Gentry 5 (Boyd 4, Haag), Lincoln 5 (Goldman 2, McConnell 2, Escareno).

RANDY MOLL NWA NEWSPAPERS Lincoln junior Colton Barnum goes up in the paint against Gentry. Barnum has been a mainstay in the middle for Lincoln.