STANFORD — The Lincoln County boys basketball team picked up a much needed win Friday night, defeating visiting Danville 76-67.

With the win, the Patriots not only snapped a three-game losing streak, but moved into sole possession of second place in the 45th District standings.

Senior guard Chase Phillips led the Lincoln offensive attack with 28 points on a night when the Patriots shot a blistering 60 percent from the field, connecting on 24 of 40 field goal attempts. Phillips and teammates Blake Smith and Elijah Frye combined for 56 of the team’s 76 points, with Smith contributing 15 points and Frye coming off the bench for 13 points.

Lincoln (12-16, 3-3 45th District) and Danville (12-13, 2-4) traded leads in the first half, with the Admirals posting the biggest lead of the first two periods, 18-11, early in the second quarter.

DeShaud St. Martin, who led Danville with 20 points, bombed in a game-opening 3-pointer only to have Phillips answer with two field goals and Jaxon Smith sinking two free throws to push Lincoln ahead 6-3. 

But the Admirals would answer with their own run, a 15-5 surge that gave them their biggest lead of the night. Jared Southerland opened the run with a bucket in the paint with 4:02 left in the first quarter and Jaleel Warren capped it off at the 7:12 mark of the second with a basket for the 18-11 lead.

Lincoln rallied before the half ended, though, to erase Danville’s lead and post a 32-29 halftime lead. Phillips had 10 of the Pats’ 21 points in the second quarter to help lead the comeback, draining a 3-pointer and adding two free throws in the final 30 seconds of the half.

The Patriots kept the Admirals at bay for much of the second half. 

Danville would retake the lead with 3:36 to go in the third quarter behind a 7-0 run. Zach Thornton hit at the 4:10 mark to kick start the run then St. Martin followed with a three-point play and an inside shot to edge the Ads on top 45-43.

But the Ads’ lead was short-lived. Blake Smith converted on his own three-point play and Riley Bodner, who had several key rebounds in the second half, hit inside to put the Pats in front 48-45.  

Lincoln took a 54-49 lead into the fourth quarter and never trailed again. The Patriots led by as many as 11 points before posting the win. 

Danville shot 34 percent from the field overall, going 22-for-64. The Ads were 20-for-30 at the foul line.

Lincoln was 25-for-32 at the line.

******

at Lincoln Co.
Danville 16 13 20 18 – 67
Lincoln 11 21 22 22 – 76

LINCOLN (12-16, 3-3) – Blake Smith 15, Elijah Frye 13, Jaxon Smith 8, Chase Phillips 28, Darius Napier 5, Riley Bodner 7.
DANVILLE (12-13, 2-4) – Deshaud St. Martin 20, David Walker 7, Jared Southerland 8, Zach Thornton 16, Tanner Ford 1, Dante Hayden 2, Tevin Kavanaugh 6, Jaleel Warren 5, Darrian Bell 2.