The inclement weather may have caused a delay in the start of the game, but Wednesday’s matchup between Farragut and North Lawndale still turned into a classic Red-West barn burner.
Michael Miles scored 22 points as the Admirals outlasted the visiting Phoenix 71-67.
Farragut (5-5, 1-2) appeared to have the game under control leading 63-52 with 3:20 remaining in the fourth quarter, but Keith Mack scored nine points in an 11-3 run by North Lawndale and cut the lead to 65-63 with 1:50 remaining.
The Admirals tightened the defense and forced three consecutive turnovers, and Josh Adams sank four three throws to hold North Lawndale at bay.
Ashawn Jones had 21 points and Ernest Johnson added 14 points and eight rebounds for Farragut. Adams had ten points and seven assists.
Mack led all scorers with 31 points.
North Lawndale (7-6, 2-2) was playing its first game under new interim coach Randy Stonewall, who took over for Lewis Thorpe after he stepped down for the remainder of the year for medical reasons.
William Nelson said a major key for his team was good free throw shooting. The Admirals shot 21-for-25 from the line and 8 of 10 in the four quarter.
“There were three games that we lost this season that we definitely had a chance to win if we had converted our free throws,” Nelson said. “As a team we have been shooting under 50 percent.”
Stonewall said it is going to take time to adjust to Thorpe’s absence. “It is going to take a little time for them to realize he is not on the bench,” Stonewall said. “Today we fought hard and gave ourselves a chance to win but made some careless turnovers down the stretch that killed our momentum.”
