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Campbell turns back LaBrae
Gallery
The teams combined for 53 points in the last quarter of 69-60 decision.
VINDICATOR STAFF REPORT
CAMPBELL — The LaBrae High boys basketball team made a dramatic turnaround after trailing by 12 points early in the third quarter, but it wasn’t enough.
Lester Hughes and Nate Hodge ramped up the scoring in the final four minutes and Jerah’me Williams made additional crucial points as Campbell prevailed over LaBrae, 69-60, Tuesday in an All-American Conference Blue Tier game.
Leading an overall contribution for Campbell was Claxton Lebron with 23 points, eight rebounds, four steals, three assists and three blocks.
“He has the potential to be a very good player,” Campbell coach Brian Danilov said of the 5-foot-10, 150-pound sophomore. “He’s very unselfish, very coachable and works hard.”
After trailing by 12 at 36-24 early in the third period, LaBrae led by four at 50-46 during a furious fourth quarter in which 52 points were scored.
In Campbell’s last game against Hubbard, the Red Devils lost after leading by 10. Danilov didn’t think his Red Devils (12-4, 7-0) would collapse against LaBrae, but the opportunity was there when the Vikings went ahead, 50-46, on Bryan Watkins’ 8-foot shot with 4:51 remaining.
Then Joe Little rolled on the floor to retrieve the ball to give Campbell the advantage of the possession arrow.
Next came a 3-point basket by Hughes to bring Campbell within one at 50-49. After a Lebron steal, Hodge also made a 3-point goal.
LaBrae’s Mike Morris tied the game at 52, but Hughes hit two-point goal to give the Red Devils a 54-52 edge.
After Steve Woodyard missed a pair of free throws with 3:14 left, Hughes retrieve the second miss and Hughes made another 3-pointer for a 57-52 lead.
Morris made another basket to pull the Vikings within 59-58 before Williams made a basket and two free throws to seal the outcome.
Williams’ short jumper to give Campbell a 61-58 lead came after he dribbled around his defender who initially lunged for the ball.
“Tonight was like a fight in a closet,” Danilov said. “There was a lot of bumping and hitting.”
Most of the bruising was by Woodyard, who grabbed 12 of his team’s 42 rebounds.
“Last week, we did a terrible job of boxing out and rebounding,” LaBrae coach Chad Kiser said. “Tonight, we focused on that.”
Hodge had 13 points, Hughes 12 and Williams nine.
“Joe [Little] did a lot of good things oxzikciu ut there,” Danilov said. “He provided a lot of toughness and energy for us. Lester [Hughes] provided us with the same.”
LaBrae was a poor 7 of 30 from the field in the first half, but recovered to finish 21 of 55.
“We had to miss six or seven layups, some wide open,” Kiser said. “ Your can’t do that and win, especially on the road. We battled to get the lead after being down by 12. We fought hard and played good defense and rebounded.”
Watkins had 17 points, Cameron Truss 11 and Woodyard 10 for LaBrae (10-6, 3-4).
Of its 29 rebounds, Campbell had seven on the offensive boards.
Eighteen of LaBrae’s 42 rebounds were on the offensive glass.