Tristen Gibson concentrates on his drive through the lane during Saturday’s LIT championship game.
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Dylan Burns and Isaac Bird defend along the baseline for the Bulldogs.
The Richmond Spartans downed Gallatin, 60-50, Saturday night to cap a long day of basketball at Lawson High School. Icy weather forced a 6-game schedule in order to complete the 26th Annual Lawson Invitational Tournament.
Despite trailing, 39-23, at the half, the Bulldogs were able to close to within 6 points with under 3 minutes left to play. A 3-point shot from the corner by Tristen Gibson that would have made it a one-possession game rattled out and that forced the Bulldogs to start a chain of fouls.
A pair of turnovers inside the final 1:08 hurt Gallatin’s cause. Trailing by 7, JJ Waters swatted a lob pass to a teammate, but the Bulldogs were unable to cash in the new possession. Spartan guard Layne Cavanah hit only the first of a 2-shot foul, but the Spartans controlled the rebound of the miss and that set up a repeat sequence of free throw made, FT missed and RHS rebound.
All told, the Spartans made only 4 of 7 foul shots down stretch but that was balanced against Gallatin’s inability to score in the final 2 minutes.
Gibson and Isaac Bird finished with 12 and 17 points, respectively, for the Bulldogs and each was named to the all-tournament team.
The Spartans combined for eight 3-pointers, including 5 that established a 19-12 first quarter lead.
Bird notched 17 points and a team-high 7 rebounds in a 50-47 semifinal victory over West Platte on Thursday. Waters added 14 points and 7 rebounds off the bench.
Ford dominates girls’ game
Hamilton’s Nora Ford took early control of the girls’ championship game and led the Penney Hornets to a 64-51 victory over Trenton.
Ford hit 3 treys on her way to a 31-point scoring night. Graycen Prothero added 10 for the Lady Hornets, who upped their season record to 9-2.