10:00pm |  Nobody closes like the Jordan Panthers, and they flexed their second half muscle again Wednesday night at home against the Lakewood Lancers.  Seniors Raynard Tyler, Jesse Jones and Darius Williams took over when they needed to as the Panthers outlasted the Lancers, at the free throw line of all places, 68-64.

Asked why his team is so good at closing, veteran coach Ron Massey shrugged, “you have to when you don’t play well in the first half… but it’s nice that we’re making some free throws.  You need them in a game like that… those three guys should be the ones stepping up.”

Tyler was perfect from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter on his way to a game-high 24 points.  Jones and Williams both had 12 points and the double-double, with 13 and 10 rebounds respectively.  Jordan shot 45 percent from the field and was 21-for-32 from the free throw line.

Lakewood played the mirror game with Jordan and matched the home team zone defenses and full court press variations.  That opened the game up for the Lancer guards to run off high post screens, and junior Dominique Lanier dropped a team high 20 points (7-for-8 FG) while Jared Garber scored 15 of his 19 points in the second half.

Jordan took the early lead and was able to keep Lakewood out of the zone defense by quickening the pace.  They started to attack and draw fouls (8 in 1^st Qtr) getting to the line and building a 30-19 lead half way through the second quarter.  The Lancers answered as forward Jonathan Snagg teamed up with Lanier and scored 14 points of his own (six in the second quarter).  Lakewood used five Jordan turnovers in the quarter and went on a huge run of its own (12-3) to pull within 31-33 at halftime.

Lakewood rode the momentum into the second half, and on the first play Garber poked the ball lose from behind as Jones brought it over the timeline.  Zach Pulig picked up the loose ball and went to the rim.  He threw the ball off the backboard at full speed and Lanier skied to throw down the one-handed circus dunk to tie it at 33-33, the first three since the six minute mark of the first quarter.

The two teams battled closely the rest of the way with the four guards taking center stage as Tyler, Jones, Lanier and Garber combined for 40 points in the second half.  Jordan once again proved too fast in the open floor and got Lakewood into foul trouble with 8 fouls in the third quarter alone.

Interestingly enough for a game decided by guards and free throws, the difference offensively was defensive rebounding, and it was the guards doing the work.  Williams did have his strong 13 rebounds, but Tyler and Jones were second and third on the team with nine and ten rebounds respectively.  Lanier had seven and Garber had eight, but it was the Jordan guards that turned the hard work on the glass into points by running out after missed shots and, again, getting to the free throw line.

Jordan will travel to Poly of Friday while Lakewood returns home to see Compton.