Boys basketball: Lima Senior romps past Clay

LIMA — Lima Senior came out firing.

And early on, everything was going in.

Lima Senior hit seven first-quarter threes which triggered the Spartans to a convincing 72-33 victory over Oregon Clay in a boys basketball game Friday at Lima Senior.

Lima Senior is 2-1, 1-1 in the Three Rivers Athletic Conference. Clay is 1-6, 0-2 in the TRAC.

Lima Senior returns only one starter, Anthony Mosley from a year ago.

But what the Spartans lack in experience, there’s a line of Christmas stockings stuffed with athletic ability.

“We believe in chopping wood and taking baby steps,” Lima Senior coach Quincey Simpson said. “It’s going to take five or six games before our continuity starts to show how we want to play and everybody understands everyone’s strengths and weaknesses. But we have some guys who can do a lot of phenomenal things and they don’t have any problem giving the ball up.’’

Lima Senior ran out to a 27-11 lead after the first quarter. The Spartans hit 7 of 10 on 3-pointers in the first quarter.

The Spartans led 41-17 at the half.

Spartans sophomore Jekel Cotton had 19 points, eight rebounds and four 3-pointers.

Sophomore Isaiah Wilson had 15 points and three 3-pointers.

Sophomore Jagger Hutchins had 11 points and three 3-pointers.

Brandon Moore scored 10. Mosley had eight points and a game-high nine rebounds.

The Spartans clamped down with their man press early, gobbled turnovers and got their running game in high gear.

Lima Senior forced 19 Clay turnovers for the night.

“It’s Lima Senior basketball,” Simpson said. “Everyone knows we defend, we pressure. We’re getting better and better. This is basically a brand new group. We’re not playing our best basketball right now and we shouldn’t be. But we are seeing every time we step on the floor, we are continuing to grow at both ends of the floor.’’

And Lima Senior outrebounded Clay, 42-20, which also cranked up the transition attack.

Lucas Jeremy led Clay with nine points.

Just a few minutes after the opening tip, Cotton and Hutchins in 3-pointers and the Spartans jumped out to an 8-0 lead.

Wilson and Hutchins both sank 3-pointers and the Spartans led 18-7 with 2:07 left in the first quarter.

“Once one (three) starts to fall, they all start knocking them in,” Hutchins said. “There’s a bunch of chemistry building up.’’

To close the opening quarter, both Wilson and Hutchins sank long-range 3-pointers.

“We want to play faster this year probably since I’ve been here,” Simpson said. “We want to play fast at both ends. We want our defense to generate some open looks, offensively. I thought it did that early in the first half. And these guys share the ball very well.’’

Hutchins and Wilson both hit three 3-pointers in the first.

Lima Senior forced 13 Clay turnovers in the opening half, which continued to ignite the Spartans’ running game.

“That was huge,” Hutchins said. “If we can speed them up, they get tired and that plays right into what we want to do. That (defense) is what got us off to the hot start.’’

Moore had 10 in the first half, all on driving layups. Hutchins scored 11 at the half.

Lima Senior led 59-24 after three quarters and the entire fourth quarter was played with a running clock.

With a young, inexperienced team, the Spartans are growing up in a hurry. Last Friday, Lima Senior lost to Whitmer, 83-65.

“Since we’re all so young, I think it’ll take time,” Hutchins said. “But with each game and practice, I think we’ll keep getting better and better. Each day we continue to build chemistry.’’

Reach The Lima News sports department at 567-242-0451.