By STEVE KNOX
Osceola Times
The Manila Lions opened up a double-digit lead in the first quarter and never let up as they ran past the Charleston Tigers to post a 73-56 victory in the quarterfinals of the Class 3A State Tournament at Lamar.
The Lions defense made it tough on the Tigers early on as they took a 8-0 lead on a pair of Brayden Nunnally free throws with 5:42 to play in the first quarter. Charleston finally got on the board with a bucket by Reese Merechka to make it 8-2.
Manila’s Luke Kirk’s baseline floater made it 10-2 and Nunnally followed with a pair of free throws to open up a 10-point lead at 12-2 with 4:12 left in the period.
Charleston closed within nine on a Brandon Scott free throw at the 2:06 mark at 12-3.
Jaron Burrow’s long wing three-pointer gave the Lions a 15-3 lead, but the Tigers closed the quarter with a 7-0 run as Merechka hit one-of-two free throws with 1:18 to play and Scott drained three-pointers from the left wing and the top of the key to make it a 15-10 Manila lead at the end of the first quarter.
A Charleston bucket by Scott made it 15-12. Manila’s Rex Farmer then hit a layup to give the Lions a 17-12 lead which began an 11-3 Lions run. Burrow buried a wing three-ball to make it 20-12 and Kirk converted a layup to make it 22-12 Manila.
The Tigers Merechka drained a three to make it 22-15 in favor of the Lions. Nunnally then hit back-to-back buckets, first on an 8-footer in the lane and a rebound put back to give the Lions a 26-15 lead with 3:14 to go in the half.
Charleston’s Scott was successful on a long three to make it 26-18, but the Lions Burrow hit a pair to extend the lead to 28-18.
Following a Tigers layup, Manila got a rebound bucket from Farmer and Burrow’s 18-footer to give the Lions a 32-20 lead at the break.
Charleston got within nine points on Scott’s three pointer to begin the second half.
Manila responded with an 8-0 run, as Farmer scored on a rebound put back and Nunnally canned an 8-footer from the right elbow. A Burrow layup made it 38-23.
Luke Beach capped the Manila run with a basket to make it 40-23. Charleston’s Scott ended the Lions scoring stretch with a bucket to make it 40-25.
Manila’s Nunnally canned a long three from the right wing and Kirk hit a layup for a 45-25 Lions advantage.
Charleston came within 18 on a pair of free throws making it 45-27.
Nunnally hit one-of-two free throws for a 46-27 Lions lead.
The Tigers Scott hit a floater in the lane to make it 46-29, but the Lions converted back-to-back steals into layups from Burrow and Nunnally to make it 50-29.
A Tigers turnover drew a timeout with1:49 to play. Scott scored four consecutive points to make it 50-33.
Manila scored the final four points of the quarter to take a 54-33 lead to the final eight minutes.
Charleston scored first on a bucket by Scott to start the final frame, Manila answered with the next four points on a Kirk jump shot and layup to make it 58-35.
A pair of Charleston free throws cut the Lions lead to 59-37 and trigger an 8-0 Tigers run to make it a 58-43 game on three-pointers by Scott and Mereshka.
Manila answered with two free throws by Nunnally with 4:40 remaining to make it a 60-43 game.
The Tigers Scott scored the next two Charleston buckets on a layup and a banked three pointer to get the Tigers within 14 points with 3:05 remaining.
But two Nunnally free throws and a Burrow drive for a layup made it 64-48 Lions.
A Kirk steal and layup extended it 66-49 Manila before Scott drilled his eighth three-pointer of the game to make it a 66-52 game with 1:46 to play.
A Tigers bucket sandwiched by a pair of Manila free throws by Farmer and one by Nunnally made it a 69-54 game with 1:00 to play.
Farmer and Kirk both hit a pair of free throws in the final minute to set the final score of 73-56.
Nunnally led Manila with 24 and Burrow added 22 points. Kirk scored 13 points and Farmer had 12. Beach added two for the Lions (29-5).
Charleston, which finished its season with a record of 16-6, was paced by Scott’s game-high 32 points. Mereshka added eight points for the Tigers.
Manila advanced to face Dumas in the semi-finals Saturday.