Leps Blast Lexington 71-48
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Photos by Jeff Wick Cole Collier looks for an opening against the Lexington defense Tuesday. -
Conner Brooks drives to the basket Tuesday. -
Brandon Mathis with one of his two dunks Tuesday.
With the start of district play still weeks away, the La Grange boys basketball team has already built an impressive record this season. Tuesday the Leps led wire-to-wire to beat Lexington 71-48 and improve to 11-4 this season.
“I thought it was a pretty complete win,” said La Grange head coach Trent Collier. “We handled every little zone defense wrinkle they threw at us and they threw about four different ones at us.”
La Grange was led in scoring by 6-foot-5 sophomore Brandon Mathis, who had 15 points Tuesday, with two slam dunks including a nice alley-oop dunk off a pass from Cordale Knapik to start the second half. Cole Collier and Devonte McKenzie each scored 13.
Brock Herring led the Eagles with 18 points. Lexington is still trying to get into basketball mode after making a fourround march in the football playoffs.
Even with the dominating win, there was plenty for the Leps to work on, Coach Collier said.
“We are starting to figure it out. The defense is getting there. Our rotations are still slow but they are at least present now,” Collier said. “Offensively we are starting to move the ball and not necessarily just take the first shot we see. We have better shooters than what we are seeing now but that will work itself out. We did a good job on the glass but we have to get better on that. We’re relying on our athleticism, but we need to do the work early and make sure we are blocking people out.”
An otherwise celebratory night for the Leps took a turn for the worse when junior starter Oliver Gunn injured his ankle in the second half. The extent of the injury wasn’t known Tuesday but he left the game on crutches.
“What a great kid, what a competitor -- heart and soul of our team,” Collier said. “We’ll be okay, but we want to make sure he’s OK too.”
The Leps will host Pettus Friday at 5:30 p.m.
12/17/24
La Grange boys 71, Lexington 48
Lexington 12 12 13 11 – 48 La Grange 24 12 19 16 – 71 La Grange scoring: Oliver Gunn 5, Clayton Cooper 8, Cole Collier 13, Devonte McKenzie 13, Conner Brooks 9, Cordale Knapik 4, Braxton Dahse 2, Camden Coltrain 2, Brandon Mathis 15.
JV: LG 41, Lexington 21; Leading scorer: Eli Gillum 12 Freshmen: LG 48, Lexington 5; Leading scorers: Trysten Ulrich 11, Roan Willrich 11.