Devils leave Warren Co. teams – Pioneers fold under LHS pressure ?D?

It was the best of halves, then it was the worst of halves for the Pioneer basketball team Tuesday night.

Playing host to Lebanon at the Charlie Dalton Gym, Warren County?s boys held their own for the first two periods of Tuesday?s game, but collapsed under the Blue Devils? pressure after the halftime break on the way to a 64-39 loss.

The Pioneers, who managed just 16 second-half points, fell to 4-18 on the year, and are now 0-13 in District 7-AAA play. They?ll wrap up the league season tonight at Oakland, before closing their 2006-07 regular season Saturday at home against DeKalb County.

Trailing by seven (30-23) at halftime, the Pioneers pulled within five on a quick basket by Chris Weitzel to open the third. Lebanon responded with a flourish, however, as Connor Burger hit on the inside then both Xavier Smith and O?Keefe McCarver connected for 3-pointers after the Blue Devil press forced back-to-back turnovers in the Pioneer backcourt.

Lebanon?s scoring surge continued throughout the remainder of the third quarter, and by the time the Pioneers next found the basket, their guests had posted 19 points and built a 49-25 lead.

The fourth quarter began with Warren County down 58-29, and although they out-scored the Devils down the stretch, the damage inflicted in the third quarter was more than enough for Lebanon to cruise to the win.

Up 4-0 early, Warren County used a 6-0 run midway through the first quarter to build an 11-7 lead, but the first quarter ended in a 13-13 tie after Terrence Logue hit the back end of a pair of free throws.

Logue, who was injured late in the second quarter and didn?t return for the second half, finished with seven points, while Ken Walton led the Devils? charge with 13 and McCarver added 11. Burger scored nine, including a 3-pointer which ended the first half.

Weitzel had 13 to lead the Pioneers, while Brett Simmons scored eight and Donta Weir had six.