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Bill Crothers S.S Extend Streak To 7-Straight; Defeat Lincoln Prep 99-96

By Jahnick Lambert, 02/15/17, 11:00AM EST

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Although there is some space between them in the standings, the matchup between Lincoln Prep and Bill Crothers S.S looked to be a closely contested game given the recent runs by both teams.  On one hand, Lincoln Prep has been on a 3-game winning streak most recently winning by a whopping 27 points. Bill Crothers, on the other hand, hasn’t lost since November 1, 2016, their only loss of the season. 

The first quarter was a high scoring affair for both the Huskies and the Colts, scoring 25 and 28 respectively. Most of the Bill Crothers' offense came from their ability to play passing lanes and remain aggressive through the full court press. Through transition offense, Crothers was able to play at a very quick place and take an early lead on the road. Although they trailed after the first 10 minutes of action, Kevin Kangu was an early standout for Lincoln prep as he scored nearly half of the team’s points and would look to be aggressive throughout the game.

 

Lincoln Prep trailed for the early part of the 2nd quarter but their propensity for grabbing offensive rebounds kept them afloat while they struggled with their 3-point shooting.  The game continued to be close for large stretches as both sides matched each other with each score and turnover. Bill Crothers eventually found their rhythm offensively and their aggression earned them a few shots at the free throw line where they promptly converted. In the last minute of the quarter the Colts took a significant 9 point lead, but a late basket by Tafari Simms along with a few missed free throws on both sides cut the Bill Crothers' lead to 48-41 at halftime. 

 

After the break, the Colts looked to expand their 7-point lead.  They continued to score most of their baskets in transition, using their speed to swarm passing lanes and sprint up the floor for a quick basket. When limited to half court sets, they tended to struggle to find scoring opportunities. Lincoln Prep however continued to succeed with slowing the game down and scoring from long distance.  Bill Crothers quickly held onto their lead for the early minutes of the frame but the Huskies closed the gap to 52-53 following a smooth 3-pointer by Sam Jenkins. Lincoln Prep took the lead shortly after but both sides continued to go back and forth for several possessions.. Lincoln seemed to emerge as the leaders, ahead 70-62 with less than 1 minute remaining, but the Colts’ incredible pace allowed them to tie it up before the buzzer could ring; 70-70.

 

To begin the 4th quarter both squads were all tied up and it looked like it would come down to the final minutes given the frequent scoring runs by each side. The Huskies were the first to strike as they opened up a 7-2 rue behind good shooting from Tafari Simms. Bill Crothers wouldn’t trail for long however and responded with a massive 18-2 run to take a 90-79 lead in the final 5 minutes. Miller was pivotal in getting this run started and contributed everywhere from offense to defense. Jayden Coke’s offense was also a focal point in the Colts offense, especially from 3-point range.  Bill Crothers held their biggest lead of the game at that point but per the theme of the entire game, the opposing team would quickly have a response. Cullen Welsford contributed to the ensuing 14-6 run for the Huskies by draining a number of 3’s in the following possessions. In the final minute, Sam Jenkins buried another long range triple and brought his team to within a single point of the visiting Colts, 97-96.  Lincoln Prep had a chance to take the lead on the last possession but the close range tip couldn’t find the bottom of the net and Bill Crothers converted their free throws on the other end to escape with a 99-96 victory.

 

With their winning streak now at 7 consecutive games, Bill Crothers S.S only trail the top team by 2.5 games but have played 3 fewer games at this point in the season.  They have flown somewhat under the radar due to their low number of games played but they continue to show that they are very viable contenders in the league. Conveniently, their next game will be against the top-seeded Orangeville Prep in a can’t-miss game on February 21st (tip-off at 7pm). Lincoln Prep’s winning streak comes to an end but they’re still within the top 5 teams this season. They’ll look to retain their position against a challenging Athlete institute prep team that’s currently ranked 2nd in the league, tip-off at 7pm.