By Moses Leos III.
On Friday, the Lehman High Lobos fought to secure their first district win in 27-4A against Kerrville Tivy.
A furious second half rally propelled the Lobos to a 51-45 victory over the Antlers, keeping them in the district playoff race.
Lehman and Tivy went back and forth at the onset, but an 8-2 Tivy run helped the team build a 16-11 lead after a quarter.
The play of Matt Perry helped them gain the lead, scoring 11 of his 16 total points in the first quarter.
Lehman point guard JR Torres helped the Lobos make a fourth quarter comeback to beat Kerrville Tivy on Friday. (Photo by Cyndy Slovak-Barton) |
Coach Thomas Acker said the team settled down and played “even basketball” in the second period.
Senior post Kraig Shields led the Lobo effort, scoring nine of his 16 points in the second period.
But the Lobos continued to trail 33-25 at halftime. The lead ballooned to 13 points within the first few minutes of the third quarter.
Acker called a timeout. He understood a style adjustment was needed to get the Lobos back in the game.
It began with pressuring the Tivy offense.
Acker transitioned to a smaller lineup in the second half, which helped match the speedy, up-tempo style of the Antler offense. The result was pressure on the Antlers, which, according to Acker, forced them to make “rushed decisions.”
“We had to go to pressure,” he said. “We almost had to get beat on purpose to entice them to take shots.”
The incorporation of a smaller lineup also led to a faster tempo on offense. Normally predicated on working in the paint, Acker transitioned to a fluid, fast paced offensive scheme.
The change was sparked by the need to put points on the board.
“We tried to play fast, because we weren’t producing enough points,” Acker said. “Our defense was stellar … but at the same time, we weren’t scoring enough. Playing possession by possession was not enough.”
Highlighting Lehman’s effort was the play of guard JR Torres, who scored a game-high 18 points – nine in the third quarter alone – and gained three steals. Guard Genjiro Gushiken, who scored seven points, assisted.
But a Torres steal late in the third quarter was a game-changer in the mind of Acker. With five minutes to go in the third, Torres transitioned a steal, going coast-to-coast for a lay-up.
He felt that kickstarted the Lobos’ rally, particularly on defense.
“We got our pressure [defense] going,” Acker said. “Our pressure [defense] was not making them turn the ball over. But it was rattling them.”
The momentum helped the Lobos climb to within seven at the end of the third. Momentum carried over into the fourth, as the Lobos outscored the Antlers 13-0 to close the game.
The key for Acker was the Lobos’ dominance on the glass. In addition, the pressure defense made the Antlers take forced shots.
That helped the Lobos’ offense rally to take a 46-45 lead with a minute to go. Clutch free throws by Torres, along with a strong rebounding from Sam Smith, helped Lehman stave off the Antlers in the final moments.
Acker was proud of the effort, which brought the team back into the district race.
Still, playing at a higher tempo could be an asset, as the Lobos are still trying to find a consistent scorer. Acker believes kick starting the offense is critical as the district season progresses.
“It’s a way we can be successful. It’s a change of pace. Our team make up is different now than at the beginning of the year,” Acker said. “Making (district) teams play faster is a good thing. But only time will tell.”
