Four in double figures as Lions win 14th
Though the first meeting required two overtimes to determine a winner, Tuesday’s meeting between the No. 3 Freed-Hardeman Lions and the No. 13 Central Baptist (Ark.) College Mustangs was another thriller. Though it was determined in regulation, the Lions claimed their second victory over CBC this season with an 89-84 win.
Peyton Law continued his strong play for the Lions (14-1) by knocking down the first two layups of the game. The Lions were never able to take a comfortable lead, but the Mustangs were unable to take a lead in the first five minutes until a jumper at 13:35 gave CBC a 12-10 lead. The Lions were able to take back over a few minutes later when Jayson Nixon drained a 3-pointer to take an 18-16 lead. Law then scored five straight points before Geraldo Lane’s layup gave the Lions their largest lead of the half at seven with a 25-18 edge with 9:04 remaining. As the did in the first game in Henderson, the Mustangs stayed close with 3-pointers with one a 1:17 giving the Mustangs a lead. Lane would sink a layup in the final seconds to end the first half in a 40-40 stalemate.
Nixon swung momentum to FHU’s bench when he opened the half with a 3-pointer. A pair of triples from Central Baptist (11-3) kept the game within one possession until Ryley McClaran scored a layup and a 3-pointer to open up an 11-0 run to give the Lions a double-figure lead at 68-57 with 9:41 remaining in the game. Jordan Stephens and Blake Dean joined McClaran with timely 3-pointers before Law’s layup at 4:33 gave the Lions their largest lead at 14 with an 81-67 lead. That proved to be the last basket from the floor for the Lions with the last eight FHU points coming from the charity stripe to secure the 89-84 victory.
Most statistical categories were close, with the Lions out-rebounding the Mustangs 44-39. FHU’s bench again paid off with 38 bench points to CBC’s 10. Additionally, FHU’s size helped lead them to 52 points in the paint to the Mustangs’ 34.
Ryley McClaran led the Lion offense with 16 points followed by Peyton Law’s 15-point effort in the win. Phil Horton and Jordan Stephens teamed up to score 12 points each. Makai Vassell joined Horton for the team’s lead with eight rebounds while Geraldo Lane led with four assists.
Lion golf picks up Chad Joyner
Coach Randall Rhodes continues to add to his roster with the addition of Madison Academic High School’s Chad Joyner.
Joyner helped lead the Mustangs to a trips to the TSSAA Class A Boys’ Golf championships in 2024 while qualifying as an individual in 2023. In the 2024 regional tournament, Joyner carded a 66 while being crowned champion of the 2024 Sneds Tour’s stop at the Humboldt Golf and Country Club.
“Chad’s enthusiasm to be a Lion has been extremely high from the moment we met,” said Rhodes. “His high engagement and excitement to get to work are key traits we are looking for. In addition, Chad’s love for the game of golf and his experience in tournament golf also make him a great fit for our team. I can’t wait to see the successes and the positive impact that Chad will have in his college golf career.”
Joyner’s excitement mirrors his new coach’s, saying, “I’m excited to go to FHU because of all the chemistry I already have with some of the people there. I find team bonding important to the success of winning. I’m looking forward to getting to know everyone and building special connections. It’s great to have a fresh start on a new chapter in life.”
