STANFORD — Four Patriots scored in double figures Friday night to lead Lincoln County to a 75-48 win over visiting Rockcastle County. 

Blake Smith led all scorers with 20 points, Chase Phillips double-doubled with 16 points and 10 rebounds, Riley Bodner scored 15 points and Spencer Baird double-doubled with 14 points and 11 boards.

“I can live with that all year long,” Lincoln coach Jeff Jackson said of the quartet of double-digit scorers. 

Lincoln (1-1) never trailed in its home opener, keeping an iron grip on the lead from the opening tip. But Rockcastle (0-2) never gave up and Lincoln’s lead was only 46-41 early in the fourth quarter. The Patriots would put the game away in the final period, though, outscoring the Rockets 29-10 to earn the easy win.

“The second half I thought we defended well and we got a lot of contributions from a lot of people,” said Jackson. “We rebounded better the second half. And we went inside to Riley. We got him involved a little big offensively and he had a good good.”

Bodner, who had five rebounds in a 39-22 Lincoln win on the glass, scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half.

Jaxon Smith, who finished with eight points for the Patriots, got the game scoring started with a rebound and putback, then Phillips sank two free throws and Blake Smith put up a jumper for a 6-3 edge. The only tie of the game came at the 5:33 mark after Cade Burdette was fouled while attempting a 3-pointer. The Rockcastle junior sank all three foul shots to make it a 6-6 ballgame.

Baird hit inside with 5:04 showing to break the tie and make it 8-6 and Lincoln never relinquished the lead.

Lincoln’s biggest lead of the first quarter was six points. Blake Smith knocked down 3-pointers to put Lincoln up 15-9 and 18-12. Logan Noel, who had 11 points for the night for Rockcastle, sandwiched his own 3-pointer in between Smith’s treys. The Patriots led 20-17 at the end of the first.

Eight points was the largest lead of the first half. Baird opened the second quarter with a 3-pointer and a bucket to open up a 25-17 lead, then midway through the period Smith scored to make it 27-19. Burdette nailed a 3-pointer and added a bucket and Noel hit another 3 to get the Rockets within 29-27. 

Lincoln would carry a 31-27 lead into the break, with Blake Smith tallying the final goal of the first half.

The Patriots posted their first double-digit lead in the third quarter after a 9-2 scoring run. Phillips hit inside to open the run and later added a free throw, Jaxon Smith added a bucket and Bodner scored twice in the paint for a 40-29 margin.

The Rockets went on their own run late to chip into the Lincoln lead. Isaac Stratton, who also had 11 points for Rockcastle, and Cameron Cornelius scored a bucket apiece and Josh Thacker added a free throw to get within 44-38. Bodner would close out the quarter scoring to make it 46-38.

The margin was just 55-45 with 4:56 to play before Lincoln blew the game wide open, outscoring Rockcastle 20-3 over the remaining minutes for the easy win.

Lincoln shot 51 percent from the field, going 28-for-55, and went 16-for-21 at the foul line.

Rockcastle shot 33 percent from the field, going 16-for-48, and was 10-for-16 at the line.

“We moved the ball pretty well tonight and we did a lot of good things,” Jackson said. “We’ve just got to keep working and keep trying to get better and hopefully improve as the year goes on.”

at Lincoln

Rockcastle     17    10    11    10    – 48
Lincoln     20    11    15    29    – 75

ROCKCASTLE (0-2) – Logan Noel 11, Cade Burdette 9, Devin Mullins 5, Isaac Stratton 11, Josh Thacker 8, Josiah West 2, Nick Dillingham 2, Cameron Cornelius 2.

LINCOLN (1-1) – Bryston Alcorn 2, Blake Smith 20, Jaxon Smith 8, Chase Phillips 16, Spencer Baird 14, Riley Bodner 15.