LIMA – A year ago everyone expected an instant classic when Lima Senior and Lima Central Catholic played their annual boys basketball rivalry game and they got it.
Tuesday night, not nearly as much was anticipated from the LCC-Lima Senior game. But it turned into a better-than-expected match-up in a 64-55 Lima Senior win that was a one-point game deep into the second half.
The Spartans (8-5) pulled away from the Thunderbirds (3-13) in the final five minutes to win the Lima Cup, the trophy in this game, for the third season in a row.
Jarius Ward led Lima Senior with 21 points. Marquis Coleman had 12 points and Javier Quinones scored 11.
Thomas Williams led LCC with 16 points and 19 rebounds. Mark Janowski had nine points and 11 rebounds and Ron Banks scored nine points.
“I thought the community got a great game two years in a row,” LCC coach Frank Kill said, referring to last season when Xavier Simpson’s shot just before the buzzer gave Lima Senior a 54-52 win.
Lima Senior coach Quincey Simpson didn’t rate it quite that highly, mostly because he was less than thrilled with his team’s performance.
“We’ve got a couple guys with sprained ankles and sprained thumbs and then we’ve got a few guys with sprained hearts, meaning the effort isn’t there and their heart isn’t in it. These next two practices, they’re not going to like it,” Simpson said.
“I’m disappointed in our effort. I’m happy we got a win. I tip my hat to LCC. Those guys played extremely hard, stuck to the game plan and took everything we gave them,” he said.
Lima Senior’s game plan worked only sporadically.
The Spartans applied their standard defensive pressure in the game’s first 3 ½ minutes, forced six early turnovers, and went up 10-5.
But by the end of the quarter, LCC was in front, 19-16. The Thunderbirds still had the lead with just over two minutes to go in the first half before Lima Senior took a 34-31 lead to the locker room.
LCC was still within one point, 45-44, in the final seconds of the third quarter when possibly the biggest momentum shift of the game happened. And it was delivered by a former Thunderbird.
With four starters on the bench, Coleman – who transferred to Lima Senior from LCC early in his high school career – was by far the biggest offensive threat on the floor for the Spartans.
LCC knew that, but still couldn’t stop him from hitting a 3-pointer with two seconds left on the clock to send Lima Senior into the fourth quarter with a four-point lead.
“I knew he was the only guy on the floor that was going to beat us. He’s a former player of mine,” Kill said. “When he knocked down that three right at the end of the quarter, that was big. It gave them the momentum going into the fourth quarter.”
It was still a four-point game, 58-54, with a minute and a half to play, but that was as close as the Spartans allowed LCC to get.
Lima Central Catholic shot 39 percent on field goals (16 of 41) and out-rebounded Lima Senior 38-27. The Thunderbirds were 21 of 34 on free throws.
Lima Senior shot 41 percent (24 of 58) on field goals and was 8 of 11 on free throws. It forced 19 turnovers and had 13 turnovers of its own.
The Spartans will play Three Rivers Athletic Conference co-leader Toledo St. Francis on Friday night.
LCC will play its final six regular-season games at home, starting with a game against Bath on Friday night.
“We want to get back home and hopefully bring that same energy we brought tonight. We have been lacking energy lately. But tonight was the same energy we brought against Shawnee (a 69-66 win). We have to bring that same energy every game,” Kill said.
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