2ND HALF DOMINANCE
Raiders close strong, beat Wesleyan Christian, advance to regional championship contest
LOMEGA’S Kelby Ott, pictured during a district championship game, scored 13 points to help the Raiders beat Wesleyan Christian. [Photo by Chris Simon/www.simon-sports-photos.smugmug.com]
A second-half surge helped propel the Lomega Raiders into their regional championship game.
Lomega outscored Wesleyan Christian by 22 points in the second half to pull away for a 71-42 victory Saturday in Agra.
The Class B regional winner’s bracket victory pushed Lomega into Tuesday night’s championship game (after press time) against Glencoe. It also ensures Lomega will play in this week’s area tournament at Stroud.
Wesleyan Christian made sure to double-team Lomega’s Noah Snowden when he caught the ball in the first half. The senior was also experiencing early foul trouble.
“We also didn’t move the ball very well in the first half,” coach Justin Edsall said as his fourthranked Raiders took a 26-19 lead into the half.
All that changed in the second half.
Lomega held its opponent scoreless for much of the third quarter and used a 17-3 run to open a 21-point lead.
Snowden scored seven of his 10 points in the third.
“We played better defense in the third and kept them in front of us,” said Edsall. “We also moved the ballbetter. Everything was better in the second half.”
The Raiders posted 28 fourth-quarter points as Kelby Ott knocked down three 3-pointers.
He scored 11 of his team-high 13 points in the final eight minutes.
Dion Fisher added 11 points and Riley Lumpkin 10.
The two were big for the Raiders in the first half as they combined to scored 15 points.
Hector Rivera added nine points and Blake Snowden eight for the Raiders (20-3).
Wesleyan Christian was led by Clayton Holley’s 13 points.