Tigers romp in sectional quarterfinal

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Lyndonville’s Nathan Poler goes up for a shot against HAC defenders Ryan Hilton and Bobby Shearer during the Tigers home court sectional win this evening.

Earning a school record 18th victory of the season, No. 2 seed Lyndonville rolled to an 83-61 victory over visiting No. 7 Harley-Allendale-Columbia this evening in the quarterfinal round of the Section V Class C3 boys basketball playoffs.

“It was a fantastic effort,” said Lyndonville coach Lee Dillenbeck whose Tigers improve to 18-3. “Defensively we locked it down when we had to and every guy played his role.”

The Tigers previous best season win total was 17 during the 2004-05 campaign (17-3) and during the 2015-16 season (17-5).

Nathan Dillenbeck scored 22, Zach Johnson, 21, Nathan Poler 17 and Nathan Hydock 14 to lead the attack for Lyndonville as Matt Hess added 5 and Russell Stephens and Devin Rounds 2 each.

Ryan Hilton scored 21, Max Brown 16 and Gifford Campbell 12 for HAC.

Nathan Dillenbeck puts up a shot for the Tigers.

Breaking away from a 15-15 deadlock, Lyndonville moved on top to stay by closing the opening period with an 11-2 run. Back-to-back threes by Dillenbeck and Johnson ignited that uprising which was capped off by another three by Johnson.

Johnson and Hydock both had 8 and Dillenbeck and Poler 5 in the stanza which finished with the Tigers up by nine, 26-17.

Lyndonville maintained a nine point, 39-30, lead at the half on a late layup off a steal and three, both by Johnson who had a total of 7 in the period.

The Tigers then broke the game wide open with a 23-10 third period scoring burst to open up a commanding 22 point, 62-40, advantage at the three-quarter mark.

A barrage of five threes by Dillenbeck keyed that decisive scoring burst which also included a three-point play by Hydock, a jumper by Poler and a layup by Stephens.

The Tigers led by as much as 27, 72-45, three minutes into the final period after a burst of three straight baskets by Poler followed by rebound buckets by Dillenbeck and Poler.

Lyndonville will next face No. 3 York in the semifinals on Monday at a site to be determined. York downed No. 6 Pavilion 68-52 in the quarterfinals this evening.

Lyndonville’s Matt Hess puts up a shot over HAC defender Owen Tindall.