By Mike Williams
Analyst

LASKER – In a game highlighted by alternating spurts, Lawrence Academy produced the one that counted as the Warriors solidified in the fourth quarter to take a 47-39 win over TIC foe Northeast Academy Friday night in Lasker.

The Warriors, in action for the first time since January 7 due to exams and inclement weather, saw the WD-40 erode the rust and their intensity return in the final period at they exploded for 18 points to erase a one point lead Northeast held after three quarters.

Juniors Willie Bass and Chase Stevens keyed the final stanza outburst with six points each as Lawrence extended their TIC record to a perfect 5-0, advancing to 11-6 overall.

The first period saw Lawrence look as if they were going to run away with the contest early. With the score knotted at two, the Warriors rolled off seven straight points on Trace Larabee’s three-pointer and baskets by Cade Larabee and Bass.

The scrappy Eagles fought back cutting the deficit to 11-8 on a steal and snowbird by Davis Harrell before the Warriors’ Trace Larabee returned the favor with a swipe and layup of his own in the final seconds of the period giving Lawrence a 13-8 1st quarter cushion.

The Eagles made some noise of their own in the second stanza, even though both teams went cold from the floor, with neither unit scoring the first three minutes.

NEA’s Will Glover hit a 10-footer from the right side and after teammate Clay Robbins canned one of two free throws, Glover knocked in a three ball to give the Eagles their first lead of the game at the 4:27 mark of the half. Glover then added a pair of free throws to up the Eagle lead to 16-13 and complete an eight-point run.

After Lawrence Coach Jon Powell took a timeout, the Warriors finally got their first points of the period on a charity toss by reserve Darren Armstrong and tied the contest at 16-16 on Travis Whitehead’s jumper.

Northeast retook the lead on Harrell’s driving layup, but the Warriors reeled off the final eight points of the quarter on threes by Whitehead and Trace Larabee sandwiched around Armstrong’s follow shot inside to go to the locker room up 24-18 at intermission.

The third period revealed play about as sloppy as a soup sandwich as the two teams combined for 13 turnovers.

Lawrence took a 29-23 lead with 2:23 to play in the period on Trace Larabee’s old fashioned three-point play, but a free throw by the Eagles’ James Pope followed by back-to-back three-pointers by the Eagles’ Will Glover, the second coming with 28 seconds left in the quarter, staked Northeast to a 30-29 lead heading into the final period.

Lawrence finally shook off the doldrums in the fourth quarter as Bass scored inside and Chase Stevens followed with a trifecta from the right corner in the first minute of play.

After another Bass bucket from inside and an Eagle hoop by Robbins, Stevens again connected with a three-pointer, this time from the left corner and the Warriors held a 41-32 lead, one they would not relinquish.

Pope’s jumper cut the lead to 42-36 with 3:15 to play, but that would be as close as the Eagles would come the remainder of the contest.

Trace Larabee led the Lawrence scoring with 13 points while 6′-6″ center Bass added a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds.

Glover led all scorers in the contest with 16 points.

In the girls contest, Northeast Academy took a 38-24 win.

Ashton Liverman led Northeast with 10 points while Taylor Cocke and Ivey Little scored eight each. Hayden Thompson paced Lawrence with nine points.

Lawrence Academy is next in action on Tuesday as they travel to Ridgecroft.