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Adams ignites Jefferson’s inside game vs. Liberty
LIBERTY
Jacob Adams had his best game of the season by doubling his scoring average with 24 points, while the 6-foot-2 junior also grabbed nine of his team’s 37 rebounds in Jefferson’s 76-65 win over Liberty on Tuesday.
“He had a great game and rebounded well,” Jefferson coach Steve French. “He had some nice layups in transition, too. We’re lucky that Jake came to play tonight.”
Many of Jefferson’s points were made in the paint, especially via backdoor passes to Adams under the net. The Falcons made 33 of 54 field goals and 8 of 9 foul shots.
“We wanted to get it inside, but, whoever scores, scores,” French said. “We’re a pretty balanced team. Jake just happened to be the recipient tonight.”
Jefferson (20-1) got back on the winning track after a 19-game win streak came to an end at the hands of Mentor Lake Catholic a week ago, but French said it wasn’t a cure and he’s ready to crack the whip.
“I don’t think so,” the coach replied to the cure question. “We have more work to do. The guys weren’t ready to play tonight. We have to get in the gym and practice and get better.”
Senior Ben Phillips had 17 points, followed by sophomore Lynn Bowden’s 15 and freshman Dra Rushton’s 14. Phillips also had six rebounds.
Liberty coach Dan Bubon was somewhat satisfied that his team hit 25 of 52 goals, but he was disappointed in its lack of rebounding: 20 to Jefferson’s 37.
“They’re just way bigger than we are, so a lot of it is getting one or two hands on the ball when you have that chance — you just have to do it and we didn’t at the wrong times.”
Bubon was pleased that his Leopards reached 65 points, but he wasn’t impressed with his players’ sub-.500 free-throw shooting (10 of 21).
“We scored 65 points against a good team, yet we’re playing with some young kids,” Bubon said of growing pains. “When mistakes are made, we’re pulling kids out of the game to explain to them what happened and that takes away from the flow. They just don’t understand.”
Rushton kept Liberty in the hunt with four 3-pointers, including three in the first half. His points were a season-high.
“That kid is a heck of a competitor; he’s scared of nothing,” the coach said, adding that Hyland Burton is also a frosh.
Liberty also plays sophomores Daniel Banks, Andre Bowers and Bowden.
“We left points at the line by missing a ton of foul shots, and, when the game was close, we gave them a couple layups that we could have stopped,” Bubon said of defensive lapses when the Leopards (4-15) pulled within 69-60 on Rushton’s fourth and final 3-pointer