Sticking to their mantra, the Bakersfield Lions did to the Sparta Trojans what they have done to a number of teams this season.
Trailing nearly the entire game, the Lions battled back by getting multiple defensive stops and making shots when they mattered most to move within one win of the Class 2, District 10 title after a thrilling 53-50 win over the Trojans on Thursday night.
“Unfortunately, it’s not the first time this year we have had to battle back like we did tonight,” Bakersfield head coach Jonathan Winslow said. “In the Cabool Tournament we were down 18 at halftime, and we came back and won by 12. We were down 17 to Thayer in the first half when we played them, and although we didn’t beat them, we came back and got within two in that game so we have been in this situation a few times this year.”
The game began with an onslaught of three-point shots that saw both teams combined make as many treys (6) as the number of two-point field goals they attempted (6).
With the Lions up 11-8 late in the first quarter, the Trojans would go on a 15-0 run and suddenly found themselves open up a twelve point lead midway through the second.
But there is one thing Bakersfield never does.
They never quit.
Still trailing by six to begin the fourth quarter, Bakersfield’s Wyatt Summers hit a layup and got fouled to pull the Lions within three points.
Even though the Trojans would increase the lead to seven shortly thereafter, the Lions finally broke through and regained the lead for the first time since the beginning of the game on a three-point field goal from the right wing by Drew Murphy giving Bakersfield the 50-49 advantage.
Sparta’s Collin Gimlin would tie the game with under a minute to play after hitting one of two free throws.
Enter Noah Schrable.
After hitting three three-point shots in the game, he would hit his only two-point field goal on a 14-foot pull-up jumper with 28 seconds remaining to give his team lead for good.
With Grayham adding another free throw, the Trojans had one last desperation three from the corner, but Landon Davis’s shot would fall short as time expired giving the Lions the hard-fought victory.
“I thought Jacob Grayham did a good job defensively and did some really good things for us,” said Winslow. “Also, Joe Vaughn kept us in it on the offensive end in the first half. Overall, though, I thought everyone played well.”
Vaughn scored 15 for the Lions, while Gimlin scored a game-high 23 points for Sparta.
After getting beat in the semifinals of the district tournament last year, the Lions were bound not to let it happen again this season.
“We have a bunch of seniors and last year we got beat in the semifinals by Gainesville, and I think at times we played a little tight tonight, but hopefully we got that out of our system. Mansfield is a good team, and it should be a good game on Saturday night.”
The Class 2, District 10 championship game will be held on Feb. 27 at 7:30 pm at Mansfield and will feature a battle between the lions as the Mansfield Lions defeated Norwood in the earlier semifinal game.
Sparta 17 14 12 7—50
Bakersfield 11 13 13 16—53
Sparta: Collin Gimlin 23, Logan Rutherford 12, Landon Davis 7, Tristan Eaton 5, Nick Shipman 3
Bakersfield: Joe Vaughn 15, Wyatt Summers 14, Noah Schrable 11, Jacob Grayham 7, Dean Murphy 6
