By STEVE KNOX
Osceola Times
The Manila Lions overcame a pesky Tuckerman squad 53-38 in the opening round of the 3A Region 2 Tournament at Mountain View.
The Lions went back and forth with the Bulldogs throughout the first quarter, trading the lead seven times. The Bulldogs scored the first points of the game on a long three by Anthony Holladay. Manila tied the game when senior Brayden Nunnally drained a triple twine to make it 3-3. Nunnally then gave Manila its first lead making one of two free throws with 6:16 to play in the opening period.
Tuckerman would retake the lead moments later when Holladay made a driving layup for a 5-4 Bulldog lead. The Lions Luke Kirk then made a bucket from the left wing to give Manila a 6-5 advantage.
The Bulldogs would use the long ball to grab an 8-6 lead when Amare Neal hit a deep three. Costner Smith then tied the game with a put back two for the Lions, but missed the free throw, leaving the game knotted at 8 with 2:31 remaining in the first.
Manila’s Jaron Burrow would hit a layup to give the Lions a 10-8 lead, but Tuckerman’s John Metzger would hit a deep three to give the Bulldogs an 11-10 lead after one period.
The Lions’ Rex Farmer would give Manila a 12-11 advantage with a driving layup to open the second period. Following a Bulldog miss, Manila’s Burrow would convert an old fashioned three-point play to make it 15-11. Tuckerman’s Neal would hit a shot to trim the Manila lead to 15-13 before Burrow hit back to back buckets to give Manila a 19-13 advantage, and draw a Bulldog time out with 4:42 remaining in the half.
Burrow would stretch the Manila lead to 21-13 with another runner in the lane. Tuckerman would make it a 21-14 game as Waylon Tackett hit one of two free throws Burrow would make it 23-14 with 29.3 seconds to play on a put back bucket. The Lions would carry that nine-point lead to the locker room.
The second half began with Manila’s Kirk hitting a layup to give the Lions a double digit lead at 25-14.
Tuckerman’s Neal then hit a layup to make it 25-16 Lions. Manila answered with a bucket to make it 27-16 before Tuckerman’s Tackett hit a long three to make it 27-19. Burrow restored Manila’s double digit lead with a pair of free throws, then Neal hit a deep shot to cut the Manila lead to 29-21. Burrow’s runner then made it 31-21 Lions. Tuckerman’s Neal would drain a long three to make it 31-24 and Manila head coach Lee Wimberley would take a time out.
The Lions’ lead would remain between seven and 11 points for the next few minutes, before back-to-back baskets by Burrow made it 43-30. A Tackett jumper would cut the lead to 43-32, but Manila would answer with a bucket by Kirk to make it 45-32.
Tuckerman would get within 10 points at 45-35 on a three-pointer by Julius Stallnacker, before Manila answered with a Nunnally rebound put back to make it 47-35 and then 49-35 with a jumper from the wing. After a Tuckerman three by Metzger, the Lion’s Rex Tamer would score the final four points on a layup and a pair of free throws to set the final score of 53-38.
Manila 26-4 advanced to the semifinals against Newport.
Tuckerman’s season ended with a record 18-16