Blythewood’s Robert Braswell crashes the boards – and the Wildcats. (Photo/Kristy Kimball Massey)
BLYTHEWOOD (Jan. 11, 2017) – The Blythewood boys’ first three Region V-5A games of the season were nothing to shout about.
Against Lexington Tuesday night, the Bengals went straight to work and didn’t let up.
Blythewood never paid much attention to what the Wildcats were trying to do in a 64-47 victory that gave the team a lot of relief.
“We needed that one,” Blythewood head coach Zeke Washington said. “Any way we can get it, I’m just happy to get it. The fellas did it, and we’ve just rode their back. They did the stuff they were supposed to do, and did a good job.”
From Keith Matthews’ free throws that opened the game to Kameron Riley’s basket that closed it out, the Bengals (10-5, 2-2) never fell behind.
They did so by simply running the floor. Blythewood made few 3-point attempts, its usual tactic, and instead used the inside work of Khalil Shakir-Harris, Riley and Matthews. Harris led the way with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Riley put up 15 points and Matthews had 13.
Lexington (13-3, 3-2) dropped their second straight game. Darius Bryant had 16 points and Caleb Shackleford added 12, but the Wildcats went 14-for-44 shooting, chancing 3-pointers far more often than the Bengals.
Blythewood went 28-for-48 from the floor, with most of its shots coming from inside the lane.
“They attacked the basket, and we were happy about that,” Washington said. “In some spots we played pretty good defense.”
The Bengals got off to a 16-12 lead going into the second quarter. There, Lexington’s Bradley Folks and Bryant went 3-for-4 in foul shots to get within a point of tying the game.
Matthew’s stopped a momentum switch with a 3-point play, and it was as close as the Wildcats would come at being competitive.
The Bengals took a 31-22 lead into the half, and closed out the third quarter with a 51-35 lead. Lexington seemed gassed by the fourth quarter and wasn’t effective in making a late run.
“That’s always our game plan, to get everybody gassed,” Washington said. “It worked out that we played a lot of people too.”
Blythewood travels to White Knoll Friday and plays host to Spring Valley Tuesday.
Blythewood 64, Lexington 47
LHS: 12-10-13-12 – 47
BHS: 16-15-20-13 – 64
Lexington
Darius Bryant 16, Caleb Shackleford 12, Reed 6, Neuberger 5, Carver 4, Haney 3, Foulks 1.
Blythewood
Khalil Shakir-Harris 16, Kameron Riley 15, Keith Matthews 13, Braswell 8, Breland 5, Jackson 4, Bowers 3.
