The Cardington-Lincoln boys’ basketball team beat the Highland Fighting Scots (1-7, 0-5) 64-46 on Dec. 30, with the duo of AJ Hall and Warren Garrison providing some fire power from three point land in a huge second half.
Highland had a 10-1 run to start the game highlighted by back-to-back threes for Kadyn Reichenbach and Toby Rogers. The Fighting Scots found themselves up 14-6 by the end of the first quarter. Owen Winklefoss scored four points. Winkelfoos, Rogers and Aron West each had a steal, and Reichenbach blocked a shot early in the quarter for the Fighting Scots.
It was a 17-10 game with 6:40 left in the second quarter when Reichenbach swatted away his second shot of the day. Then up 24-17 with 1:37 left in the half, Highland's Gavin Zamer blocked away a shot of his own. But the Pirates worked their way back with five straight points to make it a 24-22 game, before Jakai Wilson of Highland sank a three to make it a five point game at the end of the half. AJ Brehm, Kalin Briggs and Garrison all had five points in the first half for the Pirates.
Highland was up 27-22 in the third quarter when Winkelfoos had a huge rejection near the basket, but Cardington-Lincoln woke up and went on an 8-2 run from there to take a 30-29 lead. West had a block in the quarter for the Fighting Scots. At the end of the third quarter Rogers hit a three for Highland, making it a 44-34 game. The Pirates tacked on a three and took a 47-34 lead into the fourth. The Pirates had a 25-7 third quarter advantage to flip the tables, led by five combined threes for Hall and Garrison.
The Pirates outscored Highland 17-12 down the stretch and secured the big come-from-behind victory.
“Im very proud of the boys for coming back and winning the game,” Coach Jason Rice said. I thought we did a lot of things right in the second half and played the game that we want to play. Hall and Warren Garrison both sparked us in the third quarter and caught fire and carried us on offense for about a four to minute stretch.”
Hall scored 15 points with 13 coming in the second half. He had a big third quarter with eight points, making three from beyond the arc. Garrison also had 15 points. He had four threes in the game, with three coming in the third quarter.
AJ Brehm scored eight points, with a three in the second quarter. Brayden Lackey also had eight points, while Kalin Briggs scored seven points, Merek McClure had four points, Isaiah Ward had four points and Journey Williamson had three points.
Rogers led Highland, and all scorers, with 18 points. Cooper Young scored five points while Winkelfoos, Jace Brooks, Reichenbach and West scored four points. JaMetrius Wilson scored three points, Zamer scored two points and Ranger Steck also scored two points.
Cardington-Lincoln shot 40% and 44% from three, while Highland was held to 29% and 21% from deep. The Pirates led 40-34 in rebounds and 10-8 in assists. Highland’s defense had a 7-5 steals advantage and 8-5 advantage in blocks.
Coach Rice was pleased with the win and has a positive outlook on wha the second half of the season has for the Pirates.
“We are excited for the second half of the season and told the boys we just need to keep working on the small details and keep playing our style of basketball,” Coach Rice said.
Highland Coach Ryan Stover was frustrated with the loss, saying that inconsistency is par for the course for the Fighting Scots this winter.
"The Cardington game we started off really well, playing some of our best basketball of the season," said Stover. "The second half came and Cardington was able to score and we were not. That’s the story of our season, inconsistency on the offensive end. Toby Rogers is a solid player that doesn’t get rattled and starting to find his groove offensively. A nice steady player for us."
