Tournament Preview: LC to face Peebles in sectional final
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
DODSONVILLE — This time the Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs' game at Waverley will be a little tougher than their Division III SE District Sectional opener.
This time, the Mustangs will take on the 19-win, Southern Hills League champion Peebles Indians, with a trip to the Convocation Center on the line. In SHL play, the Indians went 12-1, with their only loss coming to the Manchester Greyhounds on Dec. 28, 2010 by a score of 67-65.
The Indians' highest scoring game came on Feb. 11 against St. Patrick (Ky.) with 109 points. They won that game 109-82.
In the month of February, PHS has defeated Whiteoak, Fayetteville, Western Latham, St. Patrick, Ripley, North Adams and LC.
Though the Mustangs are the underdogs entering the game, that doesn't matter once both teams step onto the court, Friday night.
LC is coming off a three-point 47-44 victory over the North Adams Green Devils, where Austin Fawley made five 3-pointers, and Dylan Noll, who averages 12.5 ppg, scored in double figures. Fawley finished with 17 points, 15 in the first half, while Noll had 10 points.
The Mustangs have won three of their last five games with two wins over North Adams and one over West Union.
For the season, Fawley is averaging 11.6 ppg, scoring 256 points this season. His largest scoring game came against Fairfield with 24 points. Five times this season Fawley has made five or more 3-pointers in a game.
Peebles had a first-round bye in the sectional tournament, as they are described as a well-balanced team.
In their only meeting this season with Peebles, the Mustangs lost 75-45 on Feb. 18 at PHS.
Peebles is led by many players, including the Southern Hills League all-time leading scorer senior Blake Justice. Also leading PHS is senior Andy Countryman, who is their second leading scorer. Countryman is known for not only for his shooting skills, but his ability to drive to the lane and his ability to pass the basketball.
Justice is averaging 27.3 points per game, along with 5.7 rebounds per game and 4.2 steals per game. Countryman is averaging 16.3 ppg and 4.6 rpg. His largest scoring game was a 50-point effort against St. Patrick. He has scored 545 points. Six times this season Justice has scored 30 or more points in a game.
"Blake can score anywhere inside the half-court line," LC head coach Jason McLaughlin said.
Also, the Indians have point guard in senior Trent Arey. Arey averages 7.5 assists per game, along with 6.3 ppg and 4.5 rpg.
"Peebles is a well-balanced team, starting with Arey. He is one of the top point guards in league, who leads the area in assists and is a great defender," McLaughlin said. "Jake Daniels and Trent McFarland do well in the post and on the perimeter for them, as well."
Since their win on Monday, the Mustangs have been worrying on a few things to improve their overall game.
"We have been working on making adjustments to our game plan to give us the best chances to win this week. Going in, we already have played one tournament game, and I hope that can give us an early advantage," McLaughlin said. "Peebles has a lot of experience in the tournament over the last three years, and they will not get rattled easily.
"We have to take advantage of their mistakes on defense, take care of the basketball on offense, and avoid getting into an up-tempo high scoring type of game."
The Mustangs and Indians will tip-off at 6:15 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]
This time, the Mustangs will take on the 19-win, Southern Hills League champion Peebles Indians, with a trip to the Convocation Center on the line. In SHL play, the Indians went 12-1, with their only loss coming to the Manchester Greyhounds on Dec. 28, 2010 by a score of 67-65.
The Indians' highest scoring game came on Feb. 11 against St. Patrick (Ky.) with 109 points. They won that game 109-82.
In the month of February, PHS has defeated Whiteoak, Fayetteville, Western Latham, St. Patrick, Ripley, North Adams and LC.
Though the Mustangs are the underdogs entering the game, that doesn't matter once both teams step onto the court, Friday night.
LC is coming off a three-point 47-44 victory over the North Adams Green Devils, where Austin Fawley made five 3-pointers, and Dylan Noll, who averages 12.5 ppg, scored in double figures. Fawley finished with 17 points, 15 in the first half, while Noll had 10 points.
The Mustangs have won three of their last five games with two wins over North Adams and one over West Union.
For the season, Fawley is averaging 11.6 ppg, scoring 256 points this season. His largest scoring game came against Fairfield with 24 points. Five times this season Fawley has made five or more 3-pointers in a game.
Peebles had a first-round bye in the sectional tournament, as they are described as a well-balanced team.
In their only meeting this season with Peebles, the Mustangs lost 75-45 on Feb. 18 at PHS.
Peebles is led by many players, including the Southern Hills League all-time leading scorer senior Blake Justice. Also leading PHS is senior Andy Countryman, who is their second leading scorer. Countryman is known for not only for his shooting skills, but his ability to drive to the lane and his ability to pass the basketball.
Justice is averaging 27.3 points per game, along with 5.7 rebounds per game and 4.2 steals per game. Countryman is averaging 16.3 ppg and 4.6 rpg. His largest scoring game was a 50-point effort against St. Patrick. He has scored 545 points. Six times this season Justice has scored 30 or more points in a game.
"Blake can score anywhere inside the half-court line," LC head coach Jason McLaughlin said.
Also, the Indians have point guard in senior Trent Arey. Arey averages 7.5 assists per game, along with 6.3 ppg and 4.5 rpg.
"Peebles is a well-balanced team, starting with Arey. He is one of the top point guards in league, who leads the area in assists and is a great defender," McLaughlin said. "Jake Daniels and Trent McFarland do well in the post and on the perimeter for them, as well."
Since their win on Monday, the Mustangs have been worrying on a few things to improve their overall game.
"We have been working on making adjustments to our game plan to give us the best chances to win this week. Going in, we already have played one tournament game, and I hope that can give us an early advantage," McLaughlin said. "Peebles has a lot of experience in the tournament over the last three years, and they will not get rattled easily.
"We have to take advantage of their mistakes on defense, take care of the basketball on offense, and avoid getting into an up-tempo high scoring type of game."
The Mustangs and Indians will tip-off at 6:15 p.m.[[In-content Ad]]