LAURINBURG —Bradlee Haskell scored 22 points to help Pinecrest defeat Scotland 48-42 on Friday night.
Khalib Simmons had a team-high 11 points for the Fighting Scots. Nine of those points resulted from his trio of 3-pointers.
The Scots (7-15, 4-8 SAC) lost their third game in a row. They will wrap up the regular season by visiting Lumberton on Tuesday and hosting Richmond on Friday.
Matt Justin, Scotland’s head coach, said his team has been improving late in the year.
“The kids are getting better,” Justin said. “I told them that in the locker room. Keep your head up, and all you can do is keep competing.”
One player he pointed out was Simmons, who knocked down one three pointer in each of the final three quarters on Friday.
“He did a good job,” Justin said of the senior guard’s performance. “He’s gotten better and better as the season has gone on. It’s too bad he’s a senior. This is his first year playing. He’s improved quite a bit.”
Simmons’ final 3-pointer of the night cut Pinecrest’s lead to 34-32 with 5:30 left in the game. Pinecrest’s Noah Lyons responded with a triple of his own on the other end of the floor.
After unsuccessful trips to the free throw line by Lyons and Haskell, Scotland guard Garrett McRae connected on a pair of free throws to make it a three-point game with three minutes left on the clock.
Pinecrest’s Clayton Coe then made a basket, and Haskell made one of two free throws to give the Patriots a 40-34 lead.
The hosts managed to stop the Patriots on their next possession and got in position to force a jump ball, as Scotland players fought for possession with a grounded Pinecrest ballhandler. The Scots were called for a foul instead, and Coe made a pair of free throws to put the Patriots up 42-34.
Suddenly, the Scots found some momentum.
Adonis Jackson hit a 3-pointer to pull the Scots within five points of the visitors with 1:30 left in the game. After a turnover by the Patriots, C.J. Settles connected from beyond the arc to narrow Pinecrest’s lead to two points.
Haskell made two free throws to give Pinecrest a four-point lead with 48 seconds remaining. Jackson then missed a shot from 3-point range, and Haskell earned another trip to the free throw line with 30 seconds left.
Haskell made both shots. The Scots hurried down the floor and got the ball into the hands of Jackson, who was fouled with around nine seconds left. He made a pair of shots to make it a four-point game again, but Haskell responded with two more free throws to secure the 48-42 victory for Pinecrest (17-5, 8-4).
Coe finished with 16 points for the Patriots.
Pinecrest cruises past Lady Scots
Pinecrest’s girls basketball team didn’t have a problem putting away Scotland, defeating the Lady Scots 56-17 with the help of 21 points from Sarah McIntosh.
The Lady Patriots jumped out to a 30-10 halftime lead. Scotland’s first point of the second half came from a free throw by Niaria Leach with just over two minutes left in the third quarter.
Pinecrest (19-3, 10-3) held the Lady Scots to three points in both the second and third quarters.
Leach scored eight points for the Lady Scots.
