BOYS BASKETBALL: Rockets Hold On To Beat Silver Hawks In Final Seconds
A year ago, the Lincoln Northeast boys basketball team was in the midst of their first ever winless season in the 77-year history of the school.
Fast forward to Thursday night and the Rockets relied on outside shooting, while attacking the lane and dishing the ball out for key baskets in a 58-56 win over Lincoln Southwest, in a game heard on KFOR 103.3FM/1240AM.
It marked the first win for the Rockets against a city team in two seasons.
Northeast (3-11) was down 17-13 entering the second quarter went on a 7-1 run when Kobe Schejbal hit a three-pointer to put the Rockets in front. Southwest’s 6-9 senior center Mayuom Buom then responded with two of his game-high 17 points with a dunk on the other end.
The Silver Hawks took a 26-23 lead off a Cam Frederick three-pointer. Southwest then had a one-point lead when Northeast responded with another Schejbal three and Reece Fuchs added a basket to put the Rockets back up by four. Frederick added two free throws and TaeVyn Grixby hit one of two charity tosses to pull the Silver Hawks within one at halftime, 32-31.
Southwest tied the game up at 33 with 6:12 in the 3rd quarter, off a Grixby basket. Then Northeast marched on a 15-4 run to finish the quarter.
Tobin Vocasek hit two free throws, then Jake Bard, Carson Busch and Wut-Nuer Gatnoor each connected on a three-pointer to push the Rocket lead to 44-37 with 3:02 left in the quarter. Schejbal then added another basket and Busch added two of three free-throws to give Northeast a 48-37 advantage heading into the final period.
Frazzie Wynn connected on one of four three-pointers he had in the game to pull Southwest within seven. Then Northeast answered on a Vocasek three-point play with 6:10 remaining to push the Rocket lead back to 53-43.
Southwest stormed back with a 13-5 run, highlighted by a Wynn three-pointer with 3:09 to play with the Silver Hawks down 55-51. Northeast would score again, off a basket from 6-6 sophomore Connor Renard and a free throw from Bard.
Brayton Christensen hit a three-pointer with 23 seconds left that cut the Southwest deficit to 58-56. After Northeast missed some free throws, the Silver Hawks had a chance to tie the game with two seconds left.
Grixby missed the front end of a one-and-one and Buom’s put back bounced off the back of the rim. Vocasek grabbed the rebound and Northeast held on for the win.
Busch and Bard each led Northeast with 12 points apiece.
Follow Jeff Motz on Twitter: @JeffMotzKFOR
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