Maynard’s big night fuels cagers to league lead

Devin Hamilton scored a game-high 22 points and Drew Maynard added 11 for Lake Orion in a 59-49 win over visitng Birmingham Groves on Tuesday night.
The game was the first of seven in a row that the Dragons will play at home, including six league contests.
Lake Orion is 7-3 overall and 4-0 in OAA II play, which includes a big win over Southfield last Friday night.
Perhaps the public address announcer at Southfield put it best when he said the score after three quarters of Southfield’s game against Lake Orion last Friday was ‘zero-zero.?
Though the first three quarters were eventful ones, it was the last stanza that would decide first place early in the OAA II season.
Of course, the score was actually 44-all, and later 50-all when the Dragons called a timeout with 4:56 remaining, but a tie game is a tie game, no matter the score.
And, when it’s a tie game in the final five minutes, you’d like to be the team with the best player on the floor.
That player was LO’s Maynard, who scored eight of his game-high 30 points in the final five minutes to help his team to a 71-58 win.
‘Drew went to the basket tonight like a man,? Coach Jim Manzo said. ‘He was a man possessed. His will to win was better than it’s ever been.?
Maynard’s most memorable shot, however, came from the perimeter, after a hustle play by Southfield’s Dominique Barnes. Barnes saved the ball from going out-of-bounds under the LO hoop, but it ended up in the wide-open hands of Maynard, who calmly stroked in a three-pointer that put the Dragons up for good at 53-50.
Maynard, who scored most of his points from close range, battled some foul shooting troubles all night before hitting the big three.
‘He still went to the basket,? Manzo said, applauding the effort. ‘If you go to the basket, there’s a good chance you’re going to end up at the free throw line.?
For his part, Maynard said that is what a team leader has to do in the crunch.
‘When it was close like that, and we were tied up, it’s just my mentality that kicks in,? he said. ‘I refuse to lose.?
After the Maynard three-pointer, the Dragons scored on there next three possessions, then put the game away on a possession that ran off over one minute and ended with a lay-up by Chris Lum on a nice feed from Ross Tonyan.
‘When Lum got the lay-up, it looked like it just deflated them,? Manzo said.
‘In years past, that’s been us, trying to chase and fight back,? he added.
This time, however, Lake Orion is fully in the driver’s seat.
With their next bunch of games at home, plus one non-league game against Pontiac Northern next Tuesday, the race for the OAA II title will undoubtedly run through undefeated Lake Orion.
The team is looking to claim the OAA II championship in their first year in the league. They won the OAA III a year ago.
‘To come in here and beat them on a Friday night, it’s a good win,? Manzo said. ‘They’re excited to go home.?
The Dragons built a big first half lead, which expanded to 13 points early in the second quarter. But Southfield went on a pair of timely runs, which included scoring the last four points of the quarter to narrow the gap to 33-26 at the break.
‘We played a very good first half on the road,? Manzo said. ‘Our defense was very good but we gave them those two buckets and I think it blew a little bit of life into their lungs.?
‘Basketball is a game of runs,? he added. ‘I don’t care what game you watch, college, pro or high school, you’re going to make a run like we did, and we knew they were going to come back.?
Southfield’s Barnes caught fire in the third, hitting three-pointers on three straight possessions to give the home team its first lead of the night at 42-39.
But the Dragons had an answer from a Barnes of their own, as Joe Barnes’ three-ball quickly re-tied the game, setting up the final quarter.
‘In the fourth quarter we looked like a stronger team,? Manzo said, crediting his team’s depth for helping them put up 27 points in the eight-minute frame.
Maynard finished with 30 points and a dozen rebounds, while Barnes added nine points for LO.
Cole Moore chipped in with eight points and 10 rebounds, and Lum had eight points and a handful of steals.
‘It seemed like Chris just knew where they were throwing the ball,? Manzo said of Lum. ‘He may be the smartest kid I’ve ever coached.?
Moore drew praise for hitting all six of his second half free throw attempts and adding seven boards after halftime.
‘Probably not a stellar night on the statistical chart, but he did a lot of things to help us win,? Manzo said.
Dominique Barnes had 19 to lead Southfield.
‘We made some decisions that were rushed,? Southfield Coach Gary Teasley said. ‘I don’t think it was their defense as much as it was our players.?
The host Blue Jays suffered their first loss in league action, but will get a chance for redemption in Lake Orion in February.
Southfield improved to 3-1 in league play with a win at Adams on Tuesday.