Bluffton boys shot down in Bobcat Classic finale

Pick your poison.

Determined not to let The Bolles School's front line of Division I prospects exert their will in the Bobcat Classic title game, Bluffton sagged back and dared the Bulldogs' less-recruited backcourt to beat them from the outside.

A sound plan, to be sure, except for one flaw -- the Bulldogs hit their jumpers as well.

Lorenzo Lawrence foiled the plan with a trio of 3-pointers in Wednesday night's opening quarter, igniting Bolles' best offensive performance of the week as the Florida squad captured the crown with a 64-43 victory.

Lawrence, overshadowed by his teammates but still a top 100 recruit in his home state, scored all 14 of his points in the first half to thwart the Bobcats' best-laid plans.

"We executed the game plan," Bluffton coach Brett Macy said. "We wanted to force jump shots, and they made the shots.

"The other three are going mid-major in Division I, so we were trying to sag off and play zone. ... After the first quarter it was 20-10. If (Lawrence) doesn't make three threes in that quarter, we're right there."

It figured to be an tall task anyway for the Bobcats (8-3), whose strength lies in backcourt quickness and athleticism. Tyrese Sandgren, Lorenz Taylor and Jermaine Patterson struggled to find their shots against a Bulldogs front line in which the smallest player is 6-foot-7.

"I was happy that we still attacked the rim, even though we were undermanned," Macy said. "You're just not going to shoot it well over (someone who's) 6-8, 6-7. That's why they're Division I players."

Collin Smith, a 6-10 power forward headed to George Washington next fall, was named tournament MVP after scoring 18 of his 22 points in the second half. Austin Williams, a 6-7 Yale commit, gave the Bulldogs (16-2) three scorers in double figures.

Wednesday easily was Bolles' biggest outburst after it won its first two games by single digits.

Macy noted, though, that the first two opponents -- Ohio schools Springboro and St. Francis DeSales -- presented better size matchups.

"They had Division I big men to go against them," he said. "Maybe just one, but at least one to guard the rim. We don't have that D-1 big guy to at least protect the rim so we can get on their shooters more."

Sandgren and Taylor led the Bobcats with 12 points each, while forward Javonne Watson found his way to eight points amid all the tall timber.

Despite the final margin, Macy said the experience can only help the Bobcats as they prepare for the rest of the regular season and what's hoped to be a deep run in the Class 4-A state tournament.

"It's advantageous just to play a team like that," the coach said. "I'm not sure anyone in the state of South Carolina has (personnel like) that. Four Division I players? I don't know if anyone does in our state. The next time we come out, it's going to seem a little bit easier when we're not staring down the barrel of 6-8 across the board."

The Bobcats next face four straight road games, the first two coming at Whale Branch and Battery Creek.

"If we win those two games," Macy said, "we'll have the best record in the county."

This story was originally published December 30, 2015 at 11:45 PM with the headline "Bluffton boys shot down in Bobcat Classic finale."