By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Jacksonville Light-house boys have gotten back to its winning ways since dropping back-to-back conference road games. Last Friday at the Jacksonville Boys and Girls Club, the Wolves hammered Hazen 76-39, and then beat Abundant Life 73-61 on Monday in a makeup game from Jan. 6.
Monday’s game was also JLCS’ homecoming, and it wasn’t as close as the final score would indicate.
The first half was played at a blistering pace, and that’s just how Lighthouse coach Kelvin Parker likes it. The Wolves poured in 31 points in the first quarter and took a 15-point lead into the second. Many of those points came in transition, as the Owls struggled to break the Wolves’ full- and half-court pressure. When they did get through the press, the Owls shot the ball well. But the home team took a lot more shots.
Freshman guard Devontae Davis was the beneficiary of many of the A.L. turnovers. He scored 10 points in the opening quarter, almost all of which were layups.
The second quarter slowed down slightly, but the Lighthouse got hot from outside. Jakalon Simuel came off the bench and made four 3-pointers in the second period. Senior forward Zack Bobo also sank one from outside, and finished the first half with 17 points.
Lighthouse’s lead was up to 58-33 by halftime, and Parker took his foot off thegas in the second half.
The two teams played to an 11-11 tie in the third quarter, and Abundant Life came to life from outside in the fourth. The Owls (12-13, 4-6) outscored the Wolves 17-4 in the fourth quarter, hitting four 3-pointers.
Bobo did not play in the second half, but still led the Wolves (18-5, 8-2) with 17 points. Davis finished with 13, including 12 in the first half. Simuel scored all 12 of his points in the second quarter. Freshman Gerald Doakes also finished with 12 points, five in the first half and seven in the second.
Dequion Noel led Abundant Life with 17 points.
Parker called off the dogs in the fourth quarter against Hazen last Friday as well. The Wolves led 69-33 after three quarters, even though Parker wasn’t pleased with his team’s defense in the first period.
The Wolves outscored Hazen 28-16 in the opening frame. The winless Hornets made six field goals in that period, but just four more the rest of the game, and none in the fourth quarter.
Davis led Lighthouse with 21 points on Friday while Bobo and Doakes scored 10 apiece.
Grant Shelman led Hazen (0-16, 0-9) with 16 points.
