Late three-pointer sends Rector by Manila

MANILA – It wasn’t the finish the Manila Lions envisioned on senior night as they fell to Rector, 55-52.

Hayden Vavak drained a three-pointer from the left wing with seven seconds left to lift Rector by Manila and its four seniors.

Rector (16-13) emerged from a timeout with 36 seconds left and worked the clock under 10 seconds. Colton Haywood passed to Vavak who was coming off a curl screen. Vavak took the pass, elevated for the shot and swished a three-pointer as the clocked ticked to seven seconds.

Manila rushed the ball up court and called timeout but Carson Baltimore’s three fell short as time expired.

Rector had led all but two minutes of the game when Manila senior Rex Farmer worked inside for a basket off an assist from Baltimore. With 2:41 left, the host team led 52-51 after trailing by as many as 19 points in the first half.

The teams traded missed field goals for the next 1:20 before Cash Lindsey knotted the game hitting one-of-two free throws.

Manila senior Byron Kisner had the chance to give his team the lead when he was fouled on a move to the basket with 41 seconds left. He missed the first freebie and the team was called for a lane violation on the second attempt.

That set up Rector’s game-winning play.

Manila (12-15) struggled early falling behind in the first quarter 17-4. Farmer, the Lions leading scorer, didn’t make a field goal until the opening of the third quarter.

At that point, the Lions were trailing 35-26 yet began their comeback march.

Farmer capped the quarter, in which he accounted for eight points, hitting two-of-three throws to close the deficit to six at 48-42.

A pair of free throws from Baltimore and a three from Hudson Harrison drew Manila within one at 48-47 with 5:24 to go in the game.

Harrison then answered a Vavak three with one of his own to keep his team within one at 51-50.

Misses from both teams preceded Farmer’s go-ahead hoop and the frenzied finish was left.

Farmer, honored before the game along with teammates Kisner, Kolton Burns and Kohner Gann, finished with a team-high 12 points while grabbing six rebounds. Kisner had four points and nine rebounds. Baltimore tallied 11 points.

Rector was led by Lane Hemphill’s 17. He was limited to one point in the second half but did collect six rebounds.

Lindsey chipped in 14 points for the Cougars, plus had seven rebounds and three steals. Vavak’s late three put him in double figures with 11 and he dished out six assists.