Lincoln shoots 67 percent from the field, defeats West, 80-60

Published 12:27 pm Wednesday, December 14, 2016

By Nancy Leedy

The West Jessamine boys’ basketball team suffered its second consecutive loss on Tuesday after succumbing to the hot hand of Lincoln County.

The Patriots shot a blistering 67 percent from the field overall, and 71 percent from 3-point range, in their matchup with 12th Region foe West. Lincoln connected on 30 of 45 field goals and 12 of 17 3’s as they corralled the Colts 80-60.

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After a closely-contested first quarter, Lincoln (4-2) used a 23-6 second-quarter run to open up a 42-22 halftime lead. The Patriots then led by as many as 35 points in the third quarter, which enforced a running clock.

“The basket was big tonight,” Lincoln coach Jeff Jackson said with a laugh. “I wish we could do that all the time. If we can shoot that well all the time it would be great. But the big thing was that our defense was just really good tonight.”

West (3-2) averaged 53.3 percent from the field entering the night, with four players averaging double figures, but Lincoln held the Colts to a 42 percent effort (22-for-52). The only West player in double figures, John Davis with 13 points, was not one of the four. The team’s leading scorer, Isaiah Okesson, had averaged 17.8 points, but was held to nine points. Dalton Bruner (15.3 average) and Kendall Peters (12.3) got just six points each and Bradley Tullar (11) scored four.

“I’m proud of our kids. They played well defensively tonight against a very, very good team,” said Jackson.

Shouts of “Whoo-hoo!” could be heard from the bleachers at times as Lincoln lit up the scoreboards with its hot-hand. A “Whoo-hoo!” didn’t slip past Jackson’s lips following the win, but he did give a sigh of relief.

“No, I never thought the game would end like this,” he said. “They are such a good, good team. We thought it would be a real battle, a fight all the way.”

All 15 Lincoln players saw action, with 10 getting in the scorebook, led by Noah Young who had his second straight 30+ game. The senior guard scored a game-high 31 points, on 11-for-16 shooting, 7-for-7 from 3. Devin Alcorn also hit double figures for Lincoln, pushing in 17 points on 6-for-9 shooting. Both Young and Alcorn had four assists.

Young put up 22 first-half points to help Lincoln pull away from West, connecting for three 3-pointers, three field goals and two free throws in the Patriots’ 23-6 second-quarter run to extend a 19-16 lead into a 42-22 halftime cushion. Nick Noland and Blake Smith also had 3’s in the run.

And Lincoln never looked back.

“We got off to a good start shooting the ball, and Noah has just been unconscious,” Jackson said. “He’s done a really good job running the team. Even though he’s scoring, he’s still getting people involved and getting the ball to people that are open. Our kids are sharing the ball.”

Lincoln’s offense didn’t lose any steam in the break, coming out and converting on its first five shot attempts, four from 3-point range, to explode out to a 56-25 lead. Alcorn, who scored 12 second-half points, nailed the first trey, Young pushed down three 3’s and Carlos Nunez hit inside.

The Patriots posted their biggest lead of the night late in the third, 72-35, after back-to-back buckets from Sawyer Carrier and Alcorn.

West did win the battle of the boards, out-rebounding Lincoln 31-19.