Lincoln County downs Mountain View for 2A Southern League win

In a head-to-head matchup of two of the top sophomore guards in Class 2A, Mountain View’s Justyn Anderson and Lincoln County’s Dantley Walker scored 31 points apiece Tuesday night.

But Lincoln County’s depth proved superior as the visiting Lynx ran away with a 78-52 2A Southern League win.

Lincoln County scored the first 12 points, bolting to a 29-10 lead after the first quarter and a 50-22 edge at halftime.

“That’s a lot of points,” Walker said of the Lynx’s first half. “We just got out and ran, hit our open shots and got excited when Eric (Rippetoe) dunked it.”

That dunk, a breakaway jam after a steal in transition, was part of a 14-point game for Rippetoe.

Nine players scored for Lincoln County (8-6, 3-0), compared with just six for Mountain View.

Walker left the game on his own power early in the fourth quarter with what he called a “tweaked” ankle but said it is nothing serious.

All 31 of Walker’s points, including a buzzer-beating baseline jump shot as time expired in the third quarter, came before the fourth. He had 21 at halftime.

“He’s unreal,” Lynx coach Mike Wood said of Walker, who hit four 3-pointers. “He’s pretty much good for 30 every night we play. I’d put him shooting up against anybody in the state.”

After a 5-5 start, Lincoln County has won three of its past four games and is finding replacements for three departed starters from last season’s 2A state championship team.

“We played maybe the best half we’ve played all year,” Wood said.

Anderson shot 11-for-15 at the free-throw line for Mountain View (9-7, 1-3).

“What impressed me about Justyn is, despite being down 25 points, he played like it was a one-point game,” Saints coach Ray LeBoeuf said. “And he tried to bring his team with him.”

Freshman guard Trevor Van Kempen scored eight points and Raymond Velarde seven for Mountain View, but no one else had more than four.

Trent Tibbitts and Tyler Wadsworth scored seven points each for Lincoln County, which led by 35 entering the fourth quarter.

“I expected to win, I don’t think by that much,” Walker said. “I think it was our best defensive effort of the season.”