02-05-2021
BY JACK BULLOCK
WAYNE CITY - Despite trailing the entire contest, the Cisne Runnin' Lions stayed close to their rivals Wayne City in the season opener for both teams.

Being down by double-digits at the end of the first quarter and trailing throughout, Coach Kevin Bowen's club mustered up enough mini runs to close the gap at the end of the third quarter.

The Lions needed one more run to get the lead and perhaps steal a win on the road in the season opening contest for both teams.

Unfortunately a mistake filled final five minutes of the game doomed the visitors.

Cisne got to within a point of the lead at 40-39 with 6:42 remaining.

But four consecutive possessions produced just a single free throw made.

Wayne City took advantage of the Lions' miscues by closing out the game with an 18-3 scoring blitz to take a 58-42 win.

“If we get the lead there with about five minutes left maybe it changes the complexity of the game,” said Coach Bowen. “But we got it to 40-39 and we end up with just 42.”

The top returning scorer for the Wayne City Indians picked up right where he left off in 2019-20.

Six-foot junior guard Taj McKinney went off for 25 points in leading his team to victory.

McKinney added six rebounds to go with three steals and a pair of assists.

Nine of his points came in that pivotal fourth quarter burst.

Teammate Justin Durham, a 6-foot-6 sophomore forward, nearly ended up with a double-double as he scored eight points and ripped down 11 rebounds as the Indians held a 30-21 advantage on the glass.

Wayne City also got a big contribution from 6-foot-4 senior Noah Cooper.

Cooper netted 17 points to go with a half dozen rebounds of his own.

Wayne City head coach Jim Corona got six points from senior Jarrett Lewis and two points from Grant Lewis in the Midland Trail Conference triumph.

Coach Bowen had two players hit for double-figures in scoring for the Lions.

Junior forward Gavin Fetherling scored 13 points and gathered up six rebounds to lead the club while Jace Hatcher, a senior veteran guard, added 12 points.

But a 3-of-9 shooting fourth quarter along with five of their dozen turnovers led to the club's first loss in their opening game.

“We weren't happy with our execution tonight be we told them (the players) that this is going to be a grind. We are trying to appreciate the moment because we have it. These kids have had to endure some 'odd' things this year as young men. Hopefully we appreciate the fact that we got to play tonight,” said Coach Bowen. “I think they do. They are disappointed and upset about the loss but they are appreciative of the opportunity to play.”

Wayne City never trailed in the win.

McKinney opening and closing the scoring in a 15-5 frame.

His 3-point bomb from the top of the circle in the first minute was followed by a nice assist to Grant Lewis.

Another trey from McKinney sparked a quarter closing 8-0 run.

A driving lay in from the junior guard closed the first quarter action.

A 3-pointer from Jarrett Lewis on a nice assist from Durham opened the second quarter as the Indians took their largest advantage of the game.

Two consecutive fast break scores by McKinney ballooned the WC lead to 22-8 with 4:34 before intermission.

Cisne fought back in a big way with a run to end the first half.

Nine straight points, fueled by four Wayne City turnovers in the quarter, got the Lions back in contention.

Fetherling hit a pair of shots in the run; a top of the circle 3-pointer and a lay up off of a steal by Hatcher.

Senior Conner Brach scored five points on the night and his lay up was part of an 11-2 sprint.

Junior Ricky Dye scored his only two points of the night as he grabbed a rebound of a miss by Hatcher and his put back beat the horn as the Lions trailed just 24-19 at the break.

As had happened at the beginning of the contest, the hosts opened the third quarter with yet another scoring spree.

McKinney, Durham and Cooper produced points in succession.

When McKinney added a second bucket in the scoring streak, Wayne City was back up double-digits 32-21 with 5:52 remaining in the third quarter.

Cisne got back close thanks to Wayne City committing five turnovers in the third quarter.

The Lions closed the quarter with a 13-4 run of their own.

Hatcher connected on two 3-point shots while Brach converted a conventional three-point play.

A drive in the lane by sophomore Russell Best and a drive down the left baseline by freshman Anden Atwood sent the teams to the fourth quarter at 36-34 Wayne City.

Cisne cut the lead to just a point after Best hit a 3-pointer and Brach scored on a drive in the lane in between scores by McKinney and Durham.

The Brach score was, unfortunately, the final highlight of the night for Coach Bowen's team.

An 11-1 run by Wayne City closed the book on the win.

Durham started the run with a nice spin move in the lane.

McKinney to get to the goal for a score and Jarrett Lewis took a nice pass from McKinney and then knocked down a 3-pointer.

A bucket by Cooper and 1-of-2 free throws by McKinney extended the advantage.

Another steal and fast break score by McKinney pushed the lead to 52-40.

McKinney added to his totals with two more free throws (3-of-4 for the game) and two additional baskets late by Cooper closed the scoring.

The Indians hit 24-of-45 from the floor overall, with 4-of-10 from the arc.

WC committed 17 turnovers but forced 12 by the Lions.

Cisne ended up 17-of-52 overall from the field but just 6-of-25 from the arc.

Both teams head right back into action on Saturday.

Coach Bowen's squad will host Black Diamond Conference foe Johnston City while Wayne City will head to Edwards County.

“I think we are a better shooting team than what we showed. We took some good shots tonight but I also think that we need to take some better shots moving forward,” said Coach Bowen. “Sometimes tonight we settled against their matchup zone. We will learn from it.”

Cisne (42) – Hatcher 0 4 0-0 12, Atwood 2 0 0-2 4, Martinez 0 0 0-0 0, Fethering 5 1 0-0 13, Brach 2 0 1-3 5, Dye 1 0 0-0 2, Best 1 1 1-4 6.
2FG-11, 3FG-6, FT-2-9, PF-13.
Wayne City (58) – Durham 4 0 0-0 8, 8, McKinney 8 2 3-4 25, G. Lewis 1 0 0-0 2, Cooper 7 0 3-5 17, J. Lewis 0 2 0-0 6, Noe 0 0 0-0 0.
2FG-20, 3FG-4, FT-6-9, PF-12.
Fouled Out – None.
Technical Fouls – None.