Dunbar runs ahead of LCA 84-79

“Dunbar runs ahead of LCA 84-79”
LEXINGTON, KY Paul Dunbar Bulldogs turned back the feisty Lexington Christian Eagles Thursday night 84-79. Dunbar was led in scoring by Will Gary with 34 points. Mike Smith also added 18 points for the Bulldogs. Taylor Barnette led the Eagles with 32 points.
A great crowd gathered at Paul Dunbar’s gym to watch the top 25 LCA Eagles take on the home team Paul Laurence Dunbar Bulldogs. ‘Camouflage night’ was the theme as most of the Dunbar student section pulled on their deer hunting shirts, leafy hats, and Carhart overalls. The fans engaged in a duck call and shot clay pigeons at halftime.
LCA came into the game with the upper hand as it beat Dunbar 81-69 back in December on its home floor.
The game started with a fast pace that included back and forth play as the teams played like the basketball was on fire and neither team wanted to hold it for very long for fear of being burned. Dunbar led at the end of the first quarter 21-19. However, LCA got two three pointers from Barnette in the first quarter, including one at the buzzer.
Dunbar’s Jamal Adu-Peasah gave the Bulldogs a counter weapon for the LCA attack with a couple of baskets and free throws. Adu-Peasah finished with 11 points.
Dunbar’s Will Gary shot the three with precision to lead Dunbar with 15 first half points. After every three, he held up the significant three fingers to ignite the crowd. Dunbar led 37-34 at halftime.
The third quarter saw a flurry of points for both teams. Mike Smith for Dunbar drove to the basket on several occasions to score for the Bulldogs.
LCA’s plan was simple. Barnette drove to the hoop to draw the defender and then would dish off to Jon Lannerton for an easy lay-up. This maneuver worked several times for the Eagles. LCA was able to keep up with Dunbar’s fast pace by making sharp cuts to the basket. However, at the end of the third quarter, Dunbar led 63-56.
Dunbar jumped on LCA to start the 4th quarter and built a 12 point lead at 74-62 with just under four minutes to go in the game. Point guard Tyler Harville fouled out for the Eagles soon thereafter and finished with 10 points, including two three point shots.
LCA struggled at the free throw line most of the night. Dunbar, on the other hand, made their free throws when the game was on the line. Up 78-74 with 48.3 seconds to play, Will Gary knocked down two free throws to put the game out of reach. The teams traded a few more free throws to end the game before the Bulldogs student section erupted in joy.
The home crowd left happy with Dunbar coming out on top 84-79. Dunbar improved to 13-3 and LCA dropped to 9-4 on the season.