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Senior Daquan Lennon’s driving lay-up with 5 seconds left lifted West Bladen to a 67-65 non-conference boys basketball victory at Purnell Swett Tuesday night.
Two free throws by Swett’s Lucas Oxendine had tied the game with 15 seconds remaining. After Lennon’s basket, Swett called time-out, but could only manage a half-court heave at the buzzer.
It was a game of runs as Swett blistered the nets with nine 3-point baskets in the first half to take a 43-30 halftime lead. The Knights bounced back and rode an 18-2 third period run to a 48-45 lead.
“We came out and responded in the second half,” said Knight Coach Travis Pait. “We played hard. We have a very talented group, but they are really young.”
Senior Stefan McDonald found Lennon inside for a lay-up to begin the second half then McDonald drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key.
A Shaquille Johnson pass set up junior John Bowen for a short jumper, and Johnson canned 2 free throws. McDonald raced to the basket for a lay-up, and Johnson flipped in a reverse lay-up to tie the game 43-43.
After a Swett basket, Bowen’s rebound basket tied the game again. McDonald drilled a 3-pointer to put West ahead 48-45 at the break.
Freshman Keshawn Lewis drove for a lay-up and a 50-45 lead to begin the final quarter. Two free throws each by sophmore Jonathan Robinson and McDonald kept the Knights in front 54-51.
Lewis netted a free throw and junior Sayaun Dent put back a rebound for a 57-53 Knight lead. Tyler Oxendine and Luke Brooks answered with 3-point baskets for Swett that vaulted the Rams on top 60-58.
Johnson slammed home an ‘Alley-oop’ dunk off of a lob from McDonald, and Dent’s follow-shot plus a McDonald free throw tied the score 63-63.
Johnson hammered in another dunk off of a McDonald lob to give West a 65-63 lead with 1:24 left to play.
McDonald led the Knights with 19 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals. “When Stefan was calm tonight, he was as good as anybody out there,” said Coach Pait.
Dent finished with 13 points, 7 rebounds and 2 steals. Bowen worked the paint for 10 points and a team-high 8 rebounds.
West Bladen held a 32-20 rebound advantage. “I thought we were good on the glass tonight,” continued Coach Pait. “We missed some box-outs, but I thought we rebounded well.”
Johnson added 8 points, and Lennon followed with 7.
Tyler Oxendine topped the Rams with 19 points, and Brooks finished with 16 points. Lucas Oxendine totaled 12 points.
Bowen turned a McDonald assist into the first Knight basket then Bowen passed to Dent inside for another lay-up as West took a quick 4-3 lead.
McDonald drove for a lay-up, and Robinson hit 2 free throws to keep West ahead 9-8. Lewis buried a 3-point shot to tie the game 13-13, but a Lamel Anderson 3-ball gave the Rams an 18-14 lead at the break.
A trio of Swett 3-point shots stretched their lead to 27-16, but rebound baskets by McDonald and Bowen plus a trio of foul shots by Dent closed the gap to 27-23.
Swett responded with a 14-2 spurt to stretch the lead to 41-25. The Rams led 43-30 at halftime.
“I thought Jonathan (Robinson) did a good job for us,” said Coach Pait. “He played good defense and boxed out.”
“Keshawn settled down and was really good in the second half,” Coach Pait continued. “Jimmy Williams played phenomenal defense. With Jimmy and Keshawn we can really guard the ball. They played really good.”
The Knights travel to West Columbus Friday night.
West Bladen (67) – Jimmy Williams, Keshawn Lewis 6, Daquan Lennon 7, Stefan McDonald 19, Sayaun Dent 13, Shaquille Johnson 8, Jonathan Russ, Jonathan Robinson 4, Will Lambeth, John Bowen 10.
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