Lions rally past Riverside 53-48

Senior guard Caleb Reinhart scored 10 fourth quarter points, including a seven of eight performance from the foul line down the stretch, to help lift Manila to a come from behind 53-48 victory over Riverside in senior boys nonconference basketball action Tuesday night at Lake City.

Trailing 38-37 entering the fourth quarter, Manila tied things up on a pair of Kyle Joyner free throws with 6:37 left. Braden Overman put the Rebels back on top with a driving lay-in at the 5:53 mark, but Matthew May answered with a short jumper in the lane to tie things up once again, 41-41, with 5:38 to go.

Reinhart knocked down a three pointer from the top of the key, giving Manila its first lead, 44-41, since the 5:45 mark of the second quarter. Riverside bounced right back on a Brandon Sain basket, followed by a pair of Gavin Stone foul shots, allowing the Rebels to take a 45-44 with 3:53 remaining.

Seth Grissom canned a pair of charity tosses, giving Manila one point edge, but Sain's back door lay-in at the 3:23 mark put Riverside ahead once more in the seesaw battle, 47-46, with 3:20 to go. Reinhart drove the lane and was fouled with 2:16 showing on the clock. The senior point guard calmly sank both free throws to put the Lions on top, 48-47.

Riverside's Gavin Stone went to the foul line and connected on one of two attempts to tie the game for the last time, 48-all, with 1:17 left. Reinhart was fouled at the 1:07 mark, and canned both ends of the one and one, giving Manila the lead for good, 50-48.

With the Rebels looking to even things once more, Manila's Kyle Joyner rejected a Riverside shot which Reinhart retrieved near midcourt. The Rebels fouled immediately, sending Reinhart back to the charity stripe where the senior connected on one of two attempts, putting the Lions up by three with 29 ticks left on the clock. The Rebels misfired on two three point attempts before Manila pulled down the rebound on the second miss. Forced to foul, Riverside watched Reinhart nail two more free throws to put the lid on the game and send the Lions home a winner.

Riverside led 12-11 after the opening quarter, despite a pair of Thomas Davis three pointers. The Rebels extended their lead in the second period behind a balanced scoring attack, led by Bret Snyder, Kody Winstead and Kollin Stone, who combined for 13 of Riverside's 17 second quarter points. The half ended with the Rebels ahead, 29-23.

Davis caught fire in the third period, drilling four consecutive treys, but the Rebels still clung to a 38-37 edge entering the final frame.

"We didn't find their best shooter tonight," said Rebel Coach Buster Campbell. "We let him hit seven three pointers on us and then we let their best free throw shooter get to the free throw line in the fourth quarter. You aren't going to win like that. We aren't doing things we have to do to win ballgames. Poor decision making and poor play hurt us tonight. We led most of the game until the end. Their kids made plays and ours didn't. I am very disappointed."

"Caleb Reinhart had an off night, but when it counted, he stepped up in the last two minutes and hit the free throws we had to have," said Lion Coach Lee Wimberley. "I thought Riverside played really well. They were aggressive and played hard. For us to come back from that halftime deficit and win, I am really proud of this team. Thomas Davis loves this gym. He hit eight threes here last year and seven tonight. Kyle Joyner just dominated. Kyle doesn't score a lot but he really makes an impact on the game in a lot of different ways."

Davis scored a game high 23 points to lead the Lions while Reinhart finished with 15. Matthew May scored five, Joyner and Grissom tallied four points each while Jake Helton added two. Manila made 14-20 free throws, including 11-14 in the final period. The Lions finished with eight three pointers on the night.

Winstead led Riverside with 11 points while Snyder and Gavin Stone added 10 points apiece. Sain scored eight, Kollin Stone netted four, Overman pitched in three while Luke Baker added two. The Rebels were 10-17 from the foul line and finished with one three pointer on the night.

Riverside closed the week, dropping a 56-24 decision to Brookland Friday night at Lake City. The Rebels (18-14) were led by Kollin Stone's seven points.

Reece Gramling led the Bearcats with 18, Dillon Groves scored 12 while Logan Willett added 11.

Riverside will open 2A-3 District Tournament play Tuesday afternoon at 5:30 in Lepanto. The sixth seed Rebels will take on seventh seeded Rector.