Leake
holds off Colonels to advance to semi-finals
Southern
Sports & Travel
The
Leake Rebels endured a torrid early start from Indianola last night to earn a
tough fought 60-53 win in round two of the Class AA North State Tournament to advance to the semi-final round this evening where
they will face Oak Hill.
Sophomore
Alex Shepard scored a game high 29 points and Leake overcame two obstacles in
getting the win, losing starter Reed Mayfield who fouled out in the third
quarter and the loss of a key player, Thomas Tubby, to a season ending knee
injury last week.
Khalid
Fears quickly sank a 3-pointer from the wing and followed that with two free
throws to give the Colonels an early 5-0 lead.
Leake
got on the board when Tristan Hernandez hit a 3-pointer from the corner but
Indianola responded with seven straight points as Christian Kirk canned a 10
foot jumper, Michael Sykes converted from 8 feet out and Kirk drained a 3-pointer
from the wing to give the Colonels a 12-3 lead with 5:04 still remaining in the
opening quarter.
Leake
would in turn produce a run of their own during the remaining five minutes.
Reed
Mayfield hit a 15 foot jumper and Alex Shepard’s driving basket cut the deficit
to 14-7 with 3:37 left in the quarter.
After
Mayfield converted two free throws Shepard served up an assist to Tristan Hernandez
to pull the eighth ranked Rebels to within three points at 14-11.
Shepard
would sink a floater in the lane and a basket high off the glass to give Leake
their first lead of the night at 15-14 to finish a 12-2 run and the quarter.
Leake
would capitalize on two Indianola turnovers to extend their margin in the
second quarter.
Alex
Shepard’s bucket, plus one, pushed the lead to 18-14 and Reed Mayfield turned a
Colonel turnover into a 3-pointer from the wing to give the Rebels their
biggest lead at 21-14 with 4:39 left in the half.
Indianola’s
Khalid Fears got the Colonels first basket since the 4:20 mark of the first
quarter when he grabbed an offensive rebound and converted.
Fears
then hit a 3-pointer following a Leake turnover to pull the Colonels to 21-19
with 3:41 left in the quarter.
Indianola’s
Khalid Fears scored on a driving lay-in to end the half with the Colonels
looking at the short end of a 26-23 game.
Indianola
would pull to within one point on three occasions in the third quarter but
couldn’t manage to overtake the Rebels.
Chipper
Jones of Leake would hit two 3-pointers in the quarter and a baseline drive
from William Johnston helped preserve a 39-35 Leake lead heading into the final
quarter of play.
After
an Alex Shepard basket to start the fourth quarter extended Leake’s lead to
41-35 Indianola fired back with six straight points to tie the game at 41-41
with 5:29 left in regulation.
Leake
answered as Chipper Jones scored from close range and Indianola would tie the
game once more when Jonathan Holland pulled down an offensive rebound and
scored at the 4:43 mark of the quarter but Leake would not relinquish the lead.
With
Leake grasping onto a slim 48-47 lead and just over three minutes remaining the
Rebel’s sophomore point guard took control of the game.
Alex
Shepard sank an 8 footer from the baseline and turned two straight Indianola
turnovers into baskets to push the Rebel lead to 54-47, a lead that doomed
Indianola.
Leake
(26-7) was led by Alex Shepard (Photo above) with 29 points, Reed Mayfield, who fouled out
with 2:02 left in the third quarter, finished with 12, Chipper Jones added 8, Tristan
Hernandez 5, William Johnston 4 and Will Myers 2.
Indianola
closes out their season with a 17-9 record and was led by Khalid Fears who
scored 25 points, Michael Sykes added 11, Christian Kirk 10, Trey Roberson 3
and Caleb Wilson and Jonathan Holland 2 apiece.
.
Post Game with Leake Head Coach Phil Shepard
