The Lincoln County boys strung together three straight wins in the Clash of the Titans Tournament at Mercer County, capping off the tourney with a 70-62 overtime win over Lafayette Saturday night.

The win avenges a 52-37 season-opening loss to the Generals on Nov. 27 and improves the Patriots to 8-3 on the season. Lafayette is now 5-6.

Blake Smith and Elijah Frye combined for 49 points to lead Lincoln in the win, with Smith bombing in a game-high 25 points on 9-for-17 shooting, 3-for-6 from 3, and Frye right behind him with 24 points on 9-for-13 shooting.

Lafayette pulled ahead 17-11 in the first quarter but Lincoln held the Generals to just five points in the second quarter, using a 15-5 scoring surge to post a 26-22 halftime lead.

Frye tallied nine of the 15 points for Lincoln in the second quarter, with Jaxon Smith, Blake Smith and Bryson Yaden each adding two points.

The Patriots cushioned their lead to eight points in the third period, using a 21-17 scoring edge to take a 47-39 lead into the final frame.

The Generals went on their own scoring spurt in the fourth quarter to force the overtime, outpointing the Patriots to deadlock the game at 57-all.

Kobe Blake, who finished with 16 points, scored 11 of Lafayette’s 18 points in the team’s fourth-quarter rally.

Lincoln would take control in the extra period, though, closing on a 13-5 run to secure the win. The Patriots never trailed in the overtime, with Blake Smith and Riley Bodner scoring the first two baskets. Bodner added another bucket, Frye sank three free throws, Jaxon Smith scored a layup and Blake Smith iced the win with two free throws.

Lincoln shot 55.3 percent in the win, connecting on 26 of 47 shot attempts, 5-for-11 from 3-point range. The Patriots were 13-for-19 at the foul line.

Lafayette was held to 38.6 percent shooting, 22-for-57 from the field, 8-for-20 from 3. At the line, the Generals were 10-for-14.

The Patriots outrebounded the Generals 35-26. Bodner led Lincoln with nine boards, Frye and Darius Napier had seven rebounds apiece. Ray Suratt, who led the Generals with 17 points, had a game-high 13 rebounds.

The win over Lafayette came on the heels of a 60-42 victory over Rockcastle, the second Lincoln win against the Rockets.

Blake Smith paced Lincoln in the Rockcastle win with 20 points and Bryston Alcorn and Frye both had 11 points. Jaxon Smith added nine points, Bodner had four points, Baylor Mattingly had three points and Napier had two points. Bodner also had 12 rebounds.

Lincoln shot 47.6 percent against Rockcastle, going 20-for-42 from the field, 8-for-22 from 3-point range. The Patriots finished 12 of 15 from the free-throw line.

Clash of the Titans
at Mercer Co.

Lincoln 11 15 21 10 13 – 70
Lafayette 17 5 17 18 5 – 62

LINCOLN (8-3) – Bryston Alcorn 2, Blake Smith 25, Elijah Frye 24, Darius Napier 2, Jaxon Smith 6, Bryson Yaden 2, Riley Bodner 9.

LAFAYETTE (5-6) – Kobe Blake 16, Evan Dreux 7, Javen Hardin 5, Ray Surratt 17, Caleb True 9, Campbell DeYoung 2, Tyreke McCoy 6.