Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Junior Wolves Overtake Elkins
LINCOLN — The Junior Wolves overcame a bad start to overtake Elkins in the fourth quarter and secure a 35-23 win in the first-round of the Bi-County Tournament they hosted on Dec. 4.
Elkins led 5-0 and 7-2 early before Lincoln surged to the lead with a 14-4 run over the last 2:34 of the first quarter and throughout the second stanza. Thirteen seconds after Elkins scored a lay-up off a turnover, Dalton Lee spurred Lincoln’s offense by powering up a shot on the baseline. He followed that by scoring on the next possession by posting up. Trevor Sims scored off a spin dribble to pull the Junior Wolves to within, 9-8, at the end of the first quarter.
“Tonight they really kept their composure,” said Lincoln coach Tim Rich, expressing his approval in how the Junior Wolves handled Elkins’ trapping defense. “That’s the best they played as a team all year. They listened well and kept sticking with the game plan.”
Lee put Lincoln in the lead, 13-11, by converting a lay-up on a dish from Harrison Swayne, who drove the lane. Swayne stole an in-bounds pass and drew a foul making a free throw with a second showing on the second quarter clock to boost the Junior Wolves to a 16-11 advantage at intermission.
Elkins kept the score close, staying within 22-16 at the third quarter break but Lincoln dominated the final frame outscoring the Elks 13-7 in the fourth. Sims stole an in-bounds pass and fed a cross-court pass to Lee for a spot-up jumper and a 28-16 Lincoln cushion just inside five minutes to play. The outcome was never in question beyond that point and Sims nailed a 3-pointer to push the lead to 31-19 two minutes later.
“Being able to switch on the go on offenses from man to zone and back that was the big thing,” Rich said. “They’re staying focused and doing their jobs taking care of that aspect of the game.”
Lee led all scorers with 16 points for Lincoln.