By Josh Lewis, Writer
The Lions got the better of Eastern in the consolation game of the Holiday Tournament on Saturday night. The Lions overcame a sluggish fourth quarter thanks to a corner three from Braxton Dean with just a few seconds left to give the Lions the 49-46 win and their third win in the last four games.
Eastern took an early lead behind a couple of Kody Banet threes to make it a 12-6 Musketeer lead. But Salem rallied to close the quarter and Adam Mull found Evan Lloyd in the corner for a three with six seconds left to cut the lead down 14-12.
The Lions took the lead in the second quarter with back to back scores from Braxton Dean and Jackson Brough. Lloyd hit another three and then got an easy basket off a steal to push it to a 21-14 lead. Payton Schocke got a steal and then kicked it to Lloyd for the transition layup to keep Salem rolling. Kaleb Bongibault finally stopped the run with a score with 4:17 left in the quarter. Lloyd scored another basket on a fast break but a Bongibault three kept Eastern close, trailing 29-23.
Salem got threes from Dean and Mull to start the third quarter and take a 35-25 lead early. But three's from Gavin Hurst and Banet cut the lead back down. Lloyd got another three to fall and a basket in the paint from Kaiden Romero-Hembree with seven seconds left in the quarter to make it a 44-39 lead for the Lions going into the final stanza.
Both teams came out cold to start the fourth. Brody Temple took the lid off the basket with a free throw with just under four minutes to play. Bongibault scored with 2:41 to go to tie the game up at 44. Schocke got the Lions their first points of the quarter with 1:11 left to play to retake the lead. Bongibault answered with a basket with 43.9 to go.
Salem drained the clock down and with 2.6 left Mull found Dean in the corner for a wide open three that didn’t hit any part of the rim and gave the Lions the three point lead. A desperation heave by Eastern late didn’t fall and the Lions earned their third win of the season.
Salem will play in the Forest Park tournament and will take on Winchester in the opening round on Friday. Eastern will travel to Milan on Friday.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
| SHS | 12 | 17 | 15 | 5 | 49 |
| EHS | 14 | 9 | 16 | 7 | 46 |
SHS scoring: Mull 4, Schocke 2, Lloyd 17, Brough 8, Dean 14, Romero-Hembree 4
EHS scoring: Hurst 3, Banet 16, Bongibault 21, Drury 2, Temple 4
Threes: Mull, Lloyd 3, Dean 2, Hurst, Banet 4, Bongibault
Evan Lloyd eyes one of his four triples.
Jackson Brough goes up for a tough basket.
Gavin Hurst pushes the ball up the floor.
Kody Banet scoops a layup in.
Photos by Josh Lewis.