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Wednesday, Dec. 27 -- The Parry McCluer High School boys basketball team earned a 79-75 victory over Rockbridge County in a compelling matchup between the two local rivals in Lexington.
The Fighting Blues (6-3) used a crucial 15-4 run in the fourth quarter to turn a four-point deficit Into a seven-point lead (76-69) with just 42 seconds to play, and they held off a late charge from the Wildcats (1-9) to secure the win in a game that featured nine ties and 10 lead changes.
All five PM starters scored in double figures, led by 22 points and eight rebounds from JJ Jones and 17 markers from Landon Catlett. Henry Lambert poured in 31 points and grabbed seven rebounds for RC, and Milo Mulitalo totaled 25 points and nine boards.
PM opened the game with a 9-2 spurt that included 3-pointers from Braedyn Houck and Evan Cook, only to see the Wildcats race back to knot the score at 9-9 on a Mulitalo bucket at the 2:43 mark of the opening period. The Blues held a slim 16-15 lead at the end of the quarter.
The Wildcats built up a 31-23 advantage on Lambert's driving layup with 2:27 remaining in the second stanza, but PM countered with a 12-2 run, taking a 35-33 lead on Jones' transition basket with 31 seconds left. Lambert put the 'Cats up one on a three-point play with 12.7 seconds to go, but Langston Cook's baseline runner beat the buzzer and gave PM a 37-36 halftime edge.
The teams traded hoops throughout the third frame, and the score was knotted at 54-54 with just over a minute remaining. RC tallied the final five points of the quarter, including a fastbreak hoop from Ballstaedt in the closing seconds that made it 59-54.
Lambert hit the opening shot of the fourth period for a 61-54 advantage, and the Wildcats still led 65-61 with 5:24 to go.
That's when the Blues kicked into overdrive. Catlett connected on a pair of free throws to make it 65-63, and Houck would give PM the lead for good (66-65) on a trey at the 4:39 mark. Jones had two key baskets as the run continued, bookending his hoops around buckets from Evan Cook, Houck and Catlett.
Lambert knocked down two triples in the final 17 seconds to make things interesting. But after his first 3-pointer pulled RC to within 76-72, Evan Cook converted a pair of free throws with 14.9 seconds left. And after Lambert connected again with just over three seconds to go, Langston Cook iced the victory by going 1-of-2 at the line with 0.6 seconds remaining.
Houck finished with 15 points for the Blues, while Langston Cook notched 14 points and six rebounds and Evan Cook recorded 11 points and four assists. Ballstaedt added 14 points for RC, and Zane Ramsey totaled seven rebounds and three assists.
PM will visit Nelson County on Friday, while the Wildcats return to action at Fort Defiance on Tuesday. RC will travel to Buena Vista for a rematch with the Blues on Saturday, Jan. 6, with tip time slated for 5:30 p.m.
