By By Ryan Satcher / staff writer
Nov. 20, 2002
Number 500 couldn't have been much sweeter for coach Steve Harber on Tuesday night.
His Lamar Raiders held on for a very close 82-78 victory over visiting Leake Academy to give Harber his 500th career win as a head basketball coach.
David Haggard went off for 43 points, including 26 in the second half, to lead the Raiders in the emotional victory. The win moves Lamar to 3-2 on the season.
Scoring runs were the story of the game for both teams. Lamar and Leake traded runs in both the first and second half in a high-scoring game.
The Rebels jumped out to a six-point lead early in the first quarter, but Lamar went on an 11-2 run to jump out to a 17-14 lead.
After a three-point play by Daniel Jones tied the game, the Raiders went on another run. Brannon Harrison and Austin Roebuck hit free throws for Lamar and Haggard added in three as the Raiders went on an 8-0 run to close out the first quarter and take a 25-17 lead.
Lamar stretched the lead to as many as 11 when Roebuck hit a field goal to make the score 31-20 with 5:06 left in the half. That's when the Rebels came storming back. Leake went on an 8-0 run to cut the lead to three points with 3:26 left in the half.
Lamar stretched the lead out to eight points later in the quarter before the Rebels went on another run. Leake went on a 12-1 run to finish out the half. Jay Allen hit for seven points in the two-minute stretch to give Leake a 41-39 halftime lead.
The Raiders came out in the third quarter and took back control of the game. After a three-point play by Jones, Lamar went on a 21-3 run. Haggard had 14 points in the stretch, while Jace Hill added five.
Leake scratched back to within 11 by scoring the final three points of the quarter to make the score 62-51.
The 11-point lead was all but safe for Lamar. Jones hit two straight three-pointers for Leake to cut the lead to six with 7:32 left in the game. After Haggard made two free throws, Adam Bobo hit a shot and Jones added two free throws to cut the lead to 64-61.
Lamar responded with a 10-2 run led by Haggard. The junior guard scored eight of the points in the run.
The lead slowly diminished for the Raiders and two baskets by Bobo cut the lead to 78-74 with 1:44 left to play. Hill hit two free throws to make the lead eight with 1:20 left. Bobo hit a free throw and after a turnover by Lamar, Jones hit the front end of his one-and-one. The second free throw was no good, but Joshua Chamblee got the rebound and put-back to cut the lead to 80-78 with 44 seconds left.
The Raiders just avoided a big mistake on the next possession. Haggard made a great play by diving on the floor and throwing the ball loose for Lamar. The Raider got the ball down the floor to Jason Strickland, who put the ball in to give the Raiders the 82-78 victory.
Hill finished the game with 14 point for the Raiders. Jones finished the game with 36 points for Leake in the loss.
Lamar will finish off a busy week when it hosts Newton Academy on Saturday.
Leake girls 68
Lamar girls 28
The Leake girls overpowered the Lady Raiders in the first high school game of the night, 68-28.
Lamar was able to keep the game close in the first quarter. The Lady Raiders jumped out to a 6-2 lead midway through the first frame. Leake came back to tie the game, but a free throw by Lizzie Williams gave Lamar a 12-11 lead with 1:53 left in the first.
The Rebelettes responded with a 9-0 run to close out the first quarter. Greggina Tadlock scored five points in the stretch.
Leake continued to roll in the second quarter. After Lamar cut the lead to eight with baskets from Celia Covington and Keely Phillips, Leake went on a 10-0 run to close out the half with a 36-18 lead.
The Rebelettes outscored Lamar 16-6 again in the third quarter to stretch the lead. Leake finished out the quarter with a 12-0 run.
Leake finished out the game with a 9-0 run to take the win. The visitors outscored Lamar 16-4 in the final frame to pick up the victory.