Lincoln’s Garrett Pumphrey is guarded by Centerville’s Kody Witham on Feb. 23.
CAMBRIDGE CITY, Ind. – Lincoln’s boys basketball team celebrated twice on Friday night as the Golden Eagles defeated Centerville 52-46.
Lincoln seniors Caleb Craig, Travis Hornsby, Carter Mettler, Garrett Pumphrey, Bryce Smith and Austin Wampler were among those honored prior to the game, while the Golden Eagles enjoyed a Tri-Eastern Conference victory by the end of the evening.
“This group is one of the most unique groups I’ve ever coached,” Lincoln Head Coach Rodney Klein said of the senior class. “They are extremely close to each other. They talk all the time. Just great kids. I love these guys. They are like my own children.”
Pumphrey had the biggest night of the group with 24 points, 18 rebounds and nine blocks.
“Our defensive effort tonight was tremendous,” Klein said. “We felt like if we could play a defensive game and pound the ball inside to Garrett, we thought we had a shot.”
Hayden Pierce added 12 points and Cameron Gwin finished with six. Pierce and Dorian Bishop both had four rebounds.
“Our kids made some shots and some free throws down the stretch and we were fortunate enought to get out of here,” Klein said. “Our kids did a really nice job of executed what we wanted to do.”
“Hayden Pierce did an excellent job of getting to the rim late in the game,” Klein continued. “He made some key baskets and Caleb Craig did a great job of being a total team player.”
The Golden Eagles started fast with a 7-0 advantage midway though the first period. They were able to keep a 13-5 by the end of the quarter.
However, it wouldn’t last as the Bulldogs rallied with nine straight points to begin the second frame. Tommy Fordonski ended the run to put Centerville on top 14-13 with 6:25 left.
“We were fortunate when they caught us their free throws didn’t go in and we’d come down and get a bucket,” Klein said.
Lincoln quickly responded to the challenge to end the first half in front 22-18.
“It is simple, we got beat on the glass and we went 3-of-15 from the free throw line,” Centerville Head Coach Seve Beach said. “This one is on me. I didn’t have our guys focused the way we should have been.”
The Golden Eagles maintain their edge by the end of the third with a 33-26 lead.
In the final period, the Bulldogs battled back to close the gap to 45-44 as Justin DuPree grabbed a rebound and went the length of the floor for a lay-up with 15:59 left.
Michael Brewer led Centerville with 15 points and Dante Torres added a dozen.
Kody Witham tossed in seven points and had five rebounds.
DuPree led the Bulldogs with 11 rebounds to give him 272 for the season, which is now a school record. DuPree passed Brandon Mayse, who had 263 during the 2003-04 season.
Lincoln won the JV contest 69-58 as Keaton Southerland led the way with 15 points. Bryce Pennington finished with 12.
Shawn Suttles and Michael Dalrymple had 11 each.
For the Bulldogs, Mitch Kelley had 15 points. Nate Reed and Clete Schilling added 14 apiece.
The Golden Eagles (11-11, 4-4) play Union County (17-6) in Tuesday’s opener of the Class 2A Hagerstown Sectional at 6 p.m.
Centerville (11-12, 4-4) must wait until Friday night’s sectional semifinals in the same event as the Bulldogs meet the winner of Tuesday’s Northeastern (13-10) and Winchester (7-13) battle.