LINCOLN -- Lincoln avenged a 60-55 loss at Mansfield on Dec. 11 by successfully executing coach Tim Rich's game plan and coming away with a 74-62 Colors' Day victory on Friday.
Part of the strategy was to contain the Tiger co-captain Layton Howard on the perimeter. He did hit a 3-pointer late in the first quarter, but was scoreless in the second.
"We picked it up on defense, we got out on him big time. We pressed them hard and got after them big time," Morphis said, noting Rich wanted to apply pressure because Mansfield's ball-handling against the press is suspect.
"They can't handle the ball the best so we took advantage of that and played all heart."
There were some shaky moments. Lincoln enjoyed a 35-18 halftime lead, but that quickly evaporated in the third quarter as Mansfield scored the first 9 points of the period eventually closing to within 43-40 after Howard nailed a 3-pointer following a Lincoln turnover. The trey capped a 23-8 Tiger run over the first 5:30 of the third and prompted Rich to call time-out.
"He had a good game plan. We executed good the first half, second half came out a little slow, and we finally picked it back up," Morphis said. "He came fired up, got after us, and we listened and came out fired up."
Morphis banged in a three from the top-of-the-key after trading passes with Adam Keith. Still, Mansfield had found its offense and stayed within 49-44 when co-captain Ethan Stovall sank a pair of free throws with 2.5 seconds remaining in the third.
The Tigers inched even closer on Codi Chick's drive to the hoop making the score, 49-46. Daytin Davis hit back-to-back 3-pointers for the Wolves sandwiched around Tyler Holmes' foul shots for Mansfield. Caleb Hale made 2-of-2 at the foul line and Davis, playing like a gangbuster, rebounded his own missed free throw and put the ball back in the hoop allowing Lincoln to open up a 60-48 lead at the 5:46 mark.
Mansfield then scored six straight points including 4 by Howard following a teammate's missed shot on a breakaway and taking a lead pass for a layup after a Tiger steal underneath the basket Lincoln was attacking. Rich called another time-out to right the ship.
Rich generally operates on an even keel, but wasn't happy with the way the Wolves were handling Mansfield's full-court pressure, which the Tigers came out of the locker room applying throughout the second half.
"He's normally calm. You know when he gets loud you better focus up and get serious," Morphis said.
Playing reserves because of foul trouble the Wolves were equal to the task.
Chance Blankenship powered in a bucket and Malik Bagsby nailed a 15-footer. Davis turned a steal into a layup and was fouled. Again he missed the free throw but once more came up with the rebound and scored extending Lincoln's advantage to 68-56 with 3:18 showing.
Mansfield had one last gasp. Chick's steal and lay-in made it a 10-point game with just under 90 seconds to play, but Chase Hutchens hit a 3-pointer and added a free throw to push the margin out to 14.
Lincoln won 74-62.
Morphis said he loves playing for Coach Rich and wouldn't want any other coach.
"We're going on a run," Morphis said.
The Wolves have opportunity to do just that. Of their five remaining games four are at home and the regular season finale is at West Fork on Feb. 8, site of the upcoming District 3A-1 West tournament.
LINCOLN 74, MANSFIELD 62
Mansfield^11^7^26^18 -- ^62
Lincoln^18^17^14^25 -- ^74
3-Point Goals -- Mansfield 7 (Austin 4, Cheevers 2, Gobel). Lincoln 8 (Morphis 5, Davis 2, Keith).
West Fork 74, Lincoln 66
Brenon Burks scored 20 points and Justin Bivens added 16 to go with 15 rebounds to lead West Fork past Lincoln in 3A-1 West Conference action on Tuesday, Jan. 15, at Lincoln. West Fork (16-2, 5-0) surged ahead after trailing late in the first quarter. Justin Bivens had a trio of 3-pointers and Brenon Burks beat the buzzer with another to put West Fork up, 19-14, after the first quarter.
Wyatt Kuetz joined the Tigers' long-range shooting act and Bivens got free for yet another trey to push West Fork's lead to 29-17 completing an 18-3 Tiger run with 6:18 remaining in the first half.
WEST FORK 74, LINCOLN 66
West Fork^19^14^12^14 -- ^47
Lincoln^14^9^15^18 -- ^55
Sports on 01/23/2019