By PAUL GOTHAM
BUFFALO, N.Y — Less than 48 hours after clinching a spot in the state tournament, the Lyons boys’ basketball team took the court Friday night at Buffalo State College having to face the same team that ended their season a year ago.
Stephen LeBrecht scored all 10 of his points during a decisive 15-0 run, JJ Johnson registered a double-double, and the Lions defense held another opponent under its season average as Lyons defeated Section VI champion Randolph, 61-44 in the New York State Class C Far West Regional.
“We didn’t feel we should have lost last year,” said Lyons head coach Dean Schott II referring to the 57-47 defeat in the 2023 state quarterfinals. “We didn’t play well. Yesterday, I said (at practice) ‘It’s time to show them how good Lyons basketball really is.”
That message played out in the opening five-plus minutes of the third quarter when the Lions stretched a two-point edge to a double-digit advantage.
Leading 24-22, Devyn Williams, who beat the halftime horn with a 3-pointer, started the third quarter with a triple. LeBrecht followed with jumpers on back-to-back trips down the floor. Dez Bell converted a rebound and putback.
Devyn Williams opens the third the way he ended the second, with a three. @goLYLIONS scores 9 straight to open the third for a 33-22 lead. pic.twitter.com/duKlGK9feF
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 9, 2024
JJ Johnson and-one. @goLYLIONS 51-33 early fourth. pic.twitter.com/dknl4ZP953
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 9, 2024
After a Randolph timeout, LeBrecht hit a pair from distance.
At the same time, the Lyons defense limited Randolph to one shot on six occasions and forced two turnovers to shutout the Cardinals through the first 5:30 of the stanza.
Lyons (23-2) forced nine turnovers and allowed eight field goals in the second half in holding the Cardinals nearly 16 points under their season average of 59.8 points per game.
“Our plan was to wear out (Randolph leading scorer) [Drew Hind], get to the corners to the jump shooters and to pound them on the boards.” Schott said. “We did everything well in the second half. First half we gave up three or four threes in the corners that I was pretty mad about. We talked about it at halftime and that ended.”
The regional win was the first since 2015 for Lyons and first under Schott who played on the 1989 Lyons team coached by his dad that won the Class C NYS and Federation titles.
“It’s been too long,” said the sixth-year coach. “It’s the goal every year to get here. But getting here isn’t really the goal. The goal is to win it (the state title). Now we got to go win it.”
Johnson led a balanced attack with 21 points and 14 rebounds. Bell and Jaheim Morris added 10 apiece.
“They love each other,” Schott said of his squad. “Every year I say ‘we’re family. Now, your my kids for the rest of your lives.’ This team came to me, they are already family, best friends. It’s just grown exponentially throughout the season. They love each other, and they don’t care who gets the credit as long as we win.”
Senior guard Mikey Briggs, who played limited minutes because of an injury in Wednesday’s win over Byron-Bergen, finished with six rebounds, two assists and two steals.
Griffin Nelson led Randolph with 12. Hind had 11. Roan Kelly and Kevin McElwain scored nine apiece.
Randolph’s season-low offensive output was 43 that they scored in a loss to York.
Lyons will play either Moravia (IV) or Waterville (III) in the state semifinals.
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