John Jay Fails to Hold First Half Lead in Loss to Lakeland
See photos and video below
See photos and video below
On Tuesday February 10, John Jay traveled to Lakeland and treated its fans to a very entertaining first half. Good for a 36-26 lead, the plot turned, and the Lakeland basics were too much for the Wolves to get the curtain call they wanted.
Big on the boards, full court pressure and outside shooting allowed only 17 more points in a 63-53 defeat.
A 5-0 start for the Hornets didn’t hurt either and was foretelling. Louis Murray’s offensive board turned into a reverse layup, and Mateo Lugo dropped his first triple.
Undeterred, Jay answered with penetration. Marc Fein and Will Green dribbled down, and Alex Palacio and Nate Summer converted inside.
Lugo didn’t miss a beat, though. He answered from downtown first, and after Braydon Gates swished right back, the point guard executed an inside spin move for a 10-7 lead.
In at 4:50, the John Jay backcourt was up to it. After Green poked the ball away for possession, he hit an off balance layup, and next, Summer initiated with defense. Igniting with a steal, his missed layup had the freshman hitting a reverse after Palacio kept the play alive.
The defense not done, Luke Lulanaj on the larceny, he went the distance for the lead and Anthony Ray closed the quarter with a layup.
Onto the second, Summer and Timmy Pastore had Lakeland double taking. First Summer dished to Pastore for an eight footer, and Summer scored two from the line on a heavy drive through traffic.
18-15, Pastore scooped up a loose ball underneath and found Summer alone in the corner. The guard squared up and tied the game at 5:25.
Trading layups, Pastore turned the key that sparked a ten point lead. He went back door to Gates and Summer and John Jay led 24-21.
3:45 left, John Jay kept coming. Fein’s steal sent Summer streaking and his miss allowed Fein to finish what he started with a put back.
Not to be outdone, Summer opened a 30-23 lead with a spin move through the paint, and a coast to coast layup at 2:07.
This left it for Fein and Gates to team up. Gates hit a short jumper at 1:21, and his interception set Fein up for a fast break layup. Fein then closed the quarter with another layup.
36-26 in favor of Jay, Lakeland got right down to the press. Two consecutive trips resulted in two turnovers and Lugo and Ray made the Wolves pay.
A two and a three for a three point game, John Jay fought back. First Green pulled down the defensive board, raced up the court and dished to Pastore in the corner.
After he hit the triple for a 39-34 lead and Lulanaj maneuvered his way to the glass for two, Pastore stood tall against Murray underneath. Back the other way, Summer scored the layup off a perfect inbound from Green at 4:02, and the lead remained five
Lugo responded with another three, but the Wolves dug in anyway. Fein beat the press to Summer for one at the line, and then Fein’s defensive rebound allowed Pastore to show his dribbling skills. The big man received at mid court and went all the way to the rack for a five point lead.
Soon to disappear, Lugo went deep first and the defense pressed on. Mike Lucia reached up to steal a Pastore pass and went the distance with a short pull up.
All tied at 44, John Jay called for time at 1:46 and responded. Summer hit a baseline pull up and went high off the glass to regain a three point lead.
Unfortunately, Lakeland really began to flex their muscles. They grabbed two offensive rebounds in the closing seconds of the third, and Lugo tied the game from downtown.
John Jay did appear to get the jump when Pastore snatched the ball from Murray, and Gates converted the fast break.
A charge instead, Lakeland applied their tool kit. The press yielded a turnover and an offensive rebound by Lulanaj resulted in three more for Ray.
Then the wheels came off. Pressure gave the ball to Lulanaj and he converted on the drive. A foul too, the wrong words at the ref meant three technical foul shots.
55-47 when the dust settled, the ball went back to Lakeland, and Patrick Gibson upped the lead on the inbound. From there, Murray went wild underneath and even nailed a three.
Three minutes to go, Palacio’s put back gave John Jay hope at 60-53, but a missed layup and a charge sealed the win for Lakeland.
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