Luwane Pipkins was unstoppable.
The junior guard scored 45 points to help Bogan defeat U-High 72-63 in the 3A Vocational Sectional semifinal.
To say that Pipkins was on fire in the first half would be an understatement. He scored 25 points in the first two quarters as Bogan (26-5) took a 36-32 lead heading into half time.
“It felt good tonight,” said Pipkins, who connected on all nine of his three-point attempts in the game. “Once a few shots went down, I caught on fire and I was in my zone. “
Bogan stepped up defensively in the third quarter, forcing three consecutive turnovers en route to a 5-0 run. The Bengals forced 20 turnovers when all was said and done.
“We wanted to disrupt what they do well,” said Bogan head coach Ken Horton. “They turned up the heat and everything is about pressure. Our team is built to last.”
U-High (21-8) was able to cut the deficit to four late in the fourth quarter, but Pipkins, who finished 14-for-14 from the free-throw line, buried 8-of-8 attempts in the final minutes to seal the game.
“We fought and I am so proud of this team,” said U-High head coach Marlo Finner. “The pressure wore us down, we got tired, but we fought and they played hard for me.”
Senior Max Rothschild led U-High with 25 points, scoring 11 in the second quarter. Junior Jordan Moran added 16 points for the Maroons. Junior Tony Johnson chipped in 13 for the Bengals.
Bogan will play for the 3A Vocational Sectional Championship Friday against either Hyde Park or Harlan.
“We’ve seen both teams play a few times and Friday is going to be a battle, but we are on a mission,” said Horton.
