L-O-N-G three ignites Tigers to win

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Lyndonville’s Eric Neace (23) puts up a shot over Byron-Bergen’s Brandon Burke (5) during the Tigers win over the visiting Bees this evening.

Moving on top to stay with a dramatic three-quarter court length shot to close the third period, Lyndonville went on to defeat visiting Byron-Bergen 64-54 this evening in a Genesee Region League boys basketball game.

Nick Hinkson let fly with the three-quarter court length shot which found nothing but net as the third quarter buzzer sounded putting Lyndonville back on top to stay 45-43.

“That was the big shift in momentum for us. That was some shot,” said Lyndonville Coach Lee Dillenbeck whose Tigers avenged an earlier season 87-79 overtime loss to the Bees at Bergen.

Keeping the momentum from that long-range shot which had the crowd roaring, Lyndonville quickly upped the lead to seven at the outset of the final period on a layup by Eric Neace and a three by Corey Hydock.

Byron-Bergen did pull back to within to within two at 50-48 after a three by Steele Truax but that was as close as the Bees would get.

Lyndonville’s Brandon Schoolcraft (5) puts up a shot against Bees defender Brandon Burke (5).

Lyndonville answered with a decisive 10-2 run to open up a 10 point, 60-50, advantage with a minute to go. A jumper by Eddie Shildt and a layup off a steal by AJ Buckland ignited that uprising which also included layups by Hydock and Hinkson and two free throws by Schildt.

Neace finished with a game high 18 as Hinkson had 13, Schildt 12, Buckland 8, Hydock 7 and Brandon Schoolcraft 6.

Truax and Brandon Burke each scored 13 for the Bees.

Lyndonville jumped out to a 14-9 first period lead highlighted by a pair of layups off turnovers by Buckland. Neace and Schildt also each had two buckets in the period.

Lyndonville maintained a narrow 32-30 advantage at the half after a late rebound bucket by Neace and a layup off a turnover by Hinkson. Neace had a total of 10 in the period which saw four ties and two lead changes.

Lyndonville’s Nick Hinkson, who had the game’s most dramatic basket, a shot from three-quarter court, goes in for a layup against B-B defenders Byran Hallenbeck (40) and Jordan Coffta (3).

Back-to-back layups by Schoolcraft and Schildt upped the Lyndonville lead to six, 40-34, midway through the third period.

However, Byron-Bergen answered with a 9-0 run, including a three and a jumper by Truax, to regain the lead for what proved to be the last time at 43-42.

That set the stage for Hinkson’s dramatic three-quarter court length three to close the period putting Lynodnville back on top for good and the Tigers kept rolling with a 19-11 scoring edge town the stetch to lock up the victory.

“That was a huge win for us,” said Dillenbeck whose Tigers improve to 5-8 in G-R action and 6-10 overall.