BOYS BASKETBALL Pressure helps lift Lisbon past WR

Lucian Smith had 23 points as Lisbon returned from a 10-day layoff.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
BERLIN CENTER -- The Lisbon High boys basketball team knows a thing or two about shaking off rust.
Coming off a 10-day layoff, the Blue Devils came out flat Tuesday against Western Reserve, missing 14 shots and turning the ball over twice, all in the first quarter.
Down 15-12 midway through the second quarter, Lisbon ignited, pressuring Western Reserve into multiple turnovers in scoring the final 10 points of the first half.
Lisbon scored the first seven points of the third quarter to cap a 17-0 run that came in handy in a 49-43 victory.
Three of Lisbon's top six players -- Jay Yorty, Chris Friend and Dom Defilippo -- got a late start on basketball season when the Blue Devils' football team advanced to the regional final in mid-November.
Much of the rust appears to have been shed.
Good defense
"We came to play defensively," said Lisbon senior Lucian Smith, who scored 23 points and made six rebounds, eight steals and four assists. "Our defense keys [our attack] and I just try to get out in the open court and create -- that's my favorite part of the game."
Lisbon (3-2) coach Joe Siefke was pleased with his team's defensive pressure in the first three quarters.
"If you can hold a team to 15 points at halftime in its own gym, you're doing some good things defensively," Siefke said. "Defensive intensity and pressure allowed us to get backside rebounds and kickouts to go on our fast break.
"When we got into open court, we were able to finish, and those turned into key buckets for us," Siefke said. "They pound it inside and they play well here, so we consider this a quality win."
Trailing 37-24 after three quarters, Western Reserve (2-4) came to life with a 16-4 run. Senior guard Mark Dickerhoof's 3-pointer with 2 minutes, 10 seconds to play cut Lisbon's lead to 41-40.
Smith responded with two free throws and the shot of the game -- a 3-pointer from near the top of the arc that put Lisbon ahead, 46-40 with 54 seconds to play.
"He's our leading scorer, so if someone's going to be taking a shot in that situation, we want it to be him," Siefke said.
Smith said his shot "felt good all game and I knew I was due for one, so I just decided to let loose and see if I could put the game out of reach."
Keeping it close
Still, Western Reserve wasn't finished as 10 seconds later, senior forward Matt Speece answered with his own 3-pointer.
"In the fourth, we showed a lot of heart and a lot of pride by continuing to bust our butts on defense," Western Reserve coach Steve Miller said. "We started to make some plays, but then we started to turn it over, which led to quick, easy buckets for them."
A free throw by sophomore Marcus Judy and two by Smith down the stretch iced the game.
"We got a little passive," Siefke said of Western Reserve's fourth-quarter surge. "We got a little complacent, made a couple of turnovers and forgot where the basket was."
Yorty scored 13 points and Defilippo led Lisbon with eight rebounds.
Western Reserve senior Nick Sanders scored 15 points and pulled down nine rebounds. Dickerhoof scored six points and made five assists, while senior forward Jake Zatchok scored six points and had six rebounds.
williams@vindy.com