NTL JV BOYS BASKETBALL: NEB RALLIES IN FOURTH QUARTER TO EDGE SAYRE, 50-48 (2019-02-06)

Valley Sports Report
LERAYSVILLE - For the third consecutive game, Sayre saw a fourth-quarter lead slip away, this time in a 50-48 loss to Northeast Bradford here Tuesday night in NTL Small School Division junior varsity boys basketball action.

Sayre trailed 10-7 in the first half, but a short jumper by Connor Young, off a feed from Donnie Abrams, sparked a 9-0 run that gave the junior Redskins a 16-10 lead.

Matt Lane's jumper game Sayre the lead, at 11-10, then Young scored on an offensive rebound to make it 13-10. A 3-pointer by Dominic Fabbri capped the rally.

Sayre pushed its lead back to five points, at 22-17, on a jumper by Lane, but NEB scored four points in the final 20 seconds of the half to close the gap to 22-21.

NEB took a 23-22 lead early in the third quarter, but Donovan Wynn, off an assist from Tavone McClenny, scored to give Sayre a 24-23 lead. After a free throw by McClenny, Fabbri canned a 3-pointer to make it 28-23.

NEB closed the gap to one point on a couple of occasions over the next two minutes, but a 3-pointer by Fabbri with 35 seconds left in the third quarter gave Sayre a 36-31 lead entering the final eight minutes.

NEB trimmed the deficit, but a pair of free throws by Dylan Watkins made it 39-35 with 6 minutes left in the game.

The junior Panthers answered with five straight points to take a 40-39 lead, but Kannon VanDuzer made two free throws to give Sayre a 41-40 lead.

Following a pair of free throws by NEB put them back ahead, Watkins tied the game with a free throw, and Josh Arnold gave Sayre the lead, at 44-42, with a bucket in transition.

NEB scored six straight points, including four consecutive free throws, to take a 48-44 lead, but Arnold kept the Redskin hopes alive with a 3-pointer to close the gap to 48-47.

After the teams exchanged free throws, NEB added another to take a 50-48 lead. Sayre's potential game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer was off-the-mark.

Fabbri led a balanced attack with nine points, all on 3-pointers, while Young had eight points, six rebounds, and two blocked shots, and Lane, Arnold, and Watkins each had six points.

Horton had five points and three boards in the win, and McClenny added five rebounds and two assists.

Sayre returns to action Saturday afternoon when it hosts Bloomsburg.