Lions Improve to 4-2
The Lions stay undefeated at home, improving to 4-2 on the year after beating the Jamestown Jayhawks 83-50 and the Hagerstown Hawks 77-75. You can rewatch the games on our youtube Jamestown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZlgdETlqrI Hagerstown: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3iCdDmf7qU
The Lions took the lead with the first bucket, a three pointer from Murray Grant, and never lost it. The Lions jumped out early with a 16-5 lead with 13 minutes left in the first half. The Jayhawks did not go down without a fight, going on a 11-2 run to put the score at 18-16 forcing the Lions to call a timeout around halfway through the first half. Whatever Coach Taylor said during that time out worked because the Jayhawks were held to 5 points for the rest of the half. The Lions go into halftime with an 18 point lead, 39-21. Jamestown went into halftime with a whopping 17 turnovers.
The Lions defense was trouble for the Jayhawks, only scoring 2 points from the line at 18:45 and did not score again until 13:35 with another free throw. At this time the Lions were up 49-24. Right under the 11 minute mark the Lions doubled up the Jayhawks 60-30 with a layup from Avion Robinson. With under a minute left in the game the Lions had their largest lead of 35 before ending with final score 83-50. Jamestown was 0-11 from three on the day while the Lions were 10-27.
Murray Grant led the Lions with 17 points and while grabbing 7 boards.
Jaelen Williams had 13 points off the bench and led the team with 9 rebounds.
Avion Robinson in his first game as a Lion scored 14 points.
Murray Grant again scored the first bucket for the Lions, a pull up from the left side elbow. The Lions scored the first bucket but quickly found themself in a hole down 19-7, 8 minutes into the game. The Lions solved their problems and then went on a 21-5 run giving them a 28-24 lead with 5:36 left in the first half. At this point in the game the fouls had started to pile up and both teams would find themself in the double bonus. Hagerstown woke up from their slumber and tied the game at 28-28. The Hawks would take the lead 36-35 off a long two and this was where things would start to fall apart for the Lions. After that bucket the inbounds pass went out of bounds untouched by either team with 1:38 left in the half. The Hawks get a layup 38-35. After the ball is over half court the first pass goes out of bounds 1:22 left. The Lions then allowed two offensive rebounds before a foul was called and the hawks made both, 40-35. The next possession the Lions turned the ball over again. Jaelen Williams was able to grab a rebound off the hawks shot and give the Lions the opportunity to hold the ball for the last shot. Notice how I said opportunity? Because they turned the ball over again with three seconds left and the teams went into the locker room for halftime. Watching the game live it looked like the Lions forgot how to play basketball for the last 2 minutes of the half.
The Hawks lead stayed right around that 5 point margin we came out of halftime with until 15:26 when the Hawks scored a three to make it 50-41 and the Lions called a time out. About 4 minutes later another timeout was called by the Lions after Antonio Jenkins was fouled and went to the line. After the timeout Jenkins made both Lions down 55-49. Nasir Brockington then got a breakaway steal for an easy layup Lions are now down 4 and the Hawks call a timeout. Brockington would go to the line, make both and the Lions are now down two, 55-53. The Lions were able to tie the game at 58-58 but the hawks would take the lead right back 60-58. Jayson Mouzon answered with a three to give the Lions their 5th lead of the game and first of the second half, 61-60. The Hawks would answer with a three of their own and then get a steal to go up 65-61. Mouzon with the heat check would bury a three, the hawks tried to answer with a three of their own missed Lions rebound and Mouzon on fire drains his third three in a four possessions and forces the Hawks to call a timeout as the Lions lead 67-65 with a little over 6 minutes to go in the game. The game would stay back and forth with the Lions leading by two 71-69 with 4:20 left in the game.
Both teams would then fall into a rut not scoring until the 1:50 mark when Brockington would drain a corner three to give the Lions a 74-69 lead. The Hawks would then answer with an and one opportunity they failed to complete, 74-71 timeout Lions 1:34 left in the game. The Hawks would then fail to complete another and one opportunity and there was a loose ball foul before a rebound was made and Amear Johnson goes to the line and makes both Lions lead 76-73 with 1:01 left in the game. The Hawks get a goaltending call on a block to make it 76-75 with 56 seconds to go. The Lions would miss a floater and the Hawks would try to take the lead with a corner three but the Lions rebound with 22 seconds left and instead of holding the ball, pass it around and it gets tipped out of bounds with 14 second left. Before the pass was inbounds a foul was called. The first free throw was good but the refs called it off to sort out some details so naturally the next two were missed. Jaylen Amoruso would then force a steal and save it from going out, Lions keep the ball and are fouled. One of two were scored and the Lions went up 77-75 with 3 seconds left. The Hawks inbounds the ball from the baseline then called a timeout at halfcourt for a closer play but the clock was not their friend. The next inbounds pass would go through the hands of the Hawks and the game is over, Lions win 77-75.
Jayson Mouzon led the team with 20 points. Nasir Brockington scored 13 off the bench.
Jordan Foster, Jaylen Amoruso and Amear Johnson led the team with 5 rebounds. Foster and Johnson also led the team with 4 assists.
The Next game will be on Wednesday, December 1st at Chesapeake College