The Switzerland County Pacers continued their outstanding season last Thursday with a 61-51 win over the Lawrenceburg Tigers.
The Pacers took control from the opening tip, as Mark Sharp and Cliff Meyer scored the first points of the game. Mark Sharp added another point at the foul line, and Cliff Meyer connected on two more buckets to push the Pacer lead to three points, 10-7.
The Tigers answered back, scoring five straight points to grab a 12-10 advantage as the opening quarter hit its stride. T.J. Sefton then connected on a three-pointer to push the Pacers back into the lead; but the Tigers answered that with a three-pointer and another basket while Switzerland County got a bucket from Mark Sharp, and the Tigers finished off the first quarter with a 17-15 lead.
In the second quarter the Tigers got their offense on track, moving out to a six-point lead in the first four minutes of play.
Jordan Hinman and Travis Webster had each scored a bucket in the first portion of the second period, but the Pacer defense had trouble slowing down the Tiger attack.
T.J. Sefton and Cliff Meyer each scored baskets and T.J. Sefton also hit a three-pointer, but those points could only get the Pacers to within two points of the Tiger lead, 28-26.
With just 49-seconds left in the first half, T.J. Sefton buried a three-pointer to tie the game at 29-29; and then Cliff Meyer benefited from a steal and pass from T.J. Sefton, as the senior center couldn’t convert on the bucket, but was fouled and managed to make one at the freethrow line, which moved the Pacers back into the lead by a score of 30-29 – and that’s how both teams headed to the halftime break.
The second half started off with some back and forth offense, as the Pacers got points from Cliff Meyer, Mark Sharp, and Jordan Hinman; while Lawrenceburg got its offense on track to keep the score tight as the third period wound down.
Switzerland County then expanded its lead on another basket by Jordan Hinman and a bucket from Cliff Meyer that swelled the lead to five, 42-37.
After Lawrenceburg made a three-pointer, Pacer Aaron Moore connected from the baseline to push the lead back to four, 44-40, and both teams hit their respective benches as the third quarter wrapped up.
The final period began with T.J. Sefton burying a three-pointer and adding a basket; and a Mark Sharp bucket made it seven straight Switzerland County points before Lawrenceburg responded.
With a nine-point lead in hand, Switzerland County got very conservative on the offensive end, holding the ball and milking the clock; and then converting key freethrows after the Tigers were forced to foul.
The final buzzer saw Switzerland County earn its 13th win of the year against just five losses by a final of 61-51.
Leading the Pacers in scoring was T.J. Sefton, who contributed 20 points on the night, including four three-pointers. Cliff Meyer was also in double figures with 13 points, and also provided 11 rebounds to record a “double-double”; and Mark Sharp made it three Pacers in double figures, as he hit for 10 points.
Jordan Hinman added eight points in the game to go with seven rebounds; Travis Webster had five points; Aaron Moore and Bryan Levell had two each; and Matt Johnson chipped in one.
Switzerland County shot 46-percent from the floor; while Lawrenceburg shot 44-percent. The Pacers were also 67-percent from the freethrow line; and outrebounded their guests by a total of 30-23. Lawrenceburg made eight three-pointers on the night, to five for Switzerland County.
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The jayvee team defeated Lawrenceburg by a score of 42-38.
The top scorer for Switzerland County was Brandon Otter with 11 points, four assists, five steals and three rebounds. Ryan Peters finished with seven points, four rebounds and two steals; and Michael Haas had six points, two assists and three rebounds.
Clay Meyer had six points, three assists and seven rebounds; Justin Reagan finished with five points, four rebounds and three steals; Devon Armstrong had four points; Kameron Pavy had two points and four rebounds; and Daniel Welch finished with one point and five rebounds.
The Pacers will be in action tomorrow (Friday) at home for Senior Night against Jac-Cen-Del in a game that will earn the Pacers at least a share of the conference championship with a victory. Tip-off for the jayvee game is scheduled for 6 p.m.