Wolves Pull Win Out Of Fire

GENTRY PUSHES LINCOLN TO LIMIT

LINCOLN — Gentry roared back from an early 31-11 deficit to capture a late lead before Lincoln fought them off to raise their Colors Day banner with a 73- 69 win Friday.

Austin Morris released down court scoring an uncontested layup when the Pioneers grabbed a loose ball and found him to move in front, 67-66, with 1:27 to go giving Gentry their first lead since, 5-2, in the first quarter. Going the other way, Brance Sugg was fouled and hit both ends of a 1-and-1 to answer for Lincoln, sending the Wolves back ahead, 68-67. Gentry set up their offense and Cole Cripps, who led Gentry with 30 points, got in the lane off dribble penetration. He missed, but wasn’t boxed out and put in his own rebound as the Pioneers recaptured the lead, at 69-68, with 53 seconds showing.

Lincoln again found an answer. Troy Sugg caught the ball on the left baseline and drove quickly for a layup. The Pioneers were late rotating over and couldn’t stop the basket. Lincoln led 70-69 and coach Tim Rich took time-out with 35 seconds remaining to talk defense and rebounding. While play was stopped assistant coach Austin wiped blood off senior Brent Crews’ jersey allowing him to stay in the game.

When play resumed, the Wolves were unable to stop Cripps from getting into the paint, but this time he missed. Gentry got one more shot off that also missed and in an all-out battle for the rebound, Lincoln senior Bryce Means cleared a huge defensive rebound. He was fouled and made both shots of the bonus to extend the Wolves’ lead to three, at 72-69. Gentry coach Brent Hester took time-out with 17.5 seconds left.

Morris got a 3-point look against Lincoln’s man- toman and Brance Sugg came down with an important rebound. Shooting the double-bonus, he made the first, and missed the second after Gentry called timeout with 3.9 seconds on the clock. A Lincoln foul on the ensuing in-bounds play gave Gentry a chance with Cripps at the free throw line, but that proved to be his Achilles heel. Cripps was just 2 for 6 in the fourth and 8 of 18 for the game on foul shots. He misfired on both attempts and although Gentry got the rebound, their desperation 2- point attempt wouldn’t have mattered as the horn sounded.

Means stroked five 3-pointers in the game for Lincoln, including three in the first quarter — all from way beyond the arc. He helped the Wolves jump out to a 22- 6 first quarter lead and his 28 points topped Lincoln. Gentry would outscore Lincoln in each of the remaining three quarters, but couldn’t quite make up the first quarter difference.

“Lincoln started out on fire, we had a few late rotations and they made us pay for every one of them,” Hester said. “I’m proud of our kids for showing a lot of heart and taking the lead. We just ran out of gas at the end.”

Neither team shot well from the free throw line. Lincoln went 14 of 23 while Gentry was 18 of 33. Rich noted the efforts of Hester’s squad was matched by resilient play from the Wolves when they had to make baskets in the final minutes.

“His boys played hard to the end, they overcame two big deficits,” Rich said. “But our guys answered. We stepped up when they (Gentry) took the lead and held on.”

Rich pointed out Brance Sugg’s last free throw was critical because the shot gave Lincoln a four-point advantage.

“He stepped up and hit that one,” Rich said.

Rich also praised the longrange shooting of Means and Troy Sugg, who combined for 45 points.

“Bryce Means came out hot as can be, him and Troy Sugg,” Rich said.

Troy Sugg added 17 points for the Wolves while Brance Sugg had 12. Rich wasn’t about to forget the inspired defensive play of senior Harrison Swayne, who deflected a number of shot-attempts in the lane, harassing Cripps and stripping him of the basketball while he used his spin move to try and get off shots in the paint several times in the first half.

“Harrison Swayne had a great night defensively,” Rich said. “It was a whole team effort. They really played well.”