GAINESVILLE - Jefferson boys basketball coach Bolling DuBose was at a loss for words as he addressed his team following a sluggish first half that saw his Class A fifth-ranked Dragons leading Lakeview Academy just 26-25 Tuesday night.<br>
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"Lakeview had outhustled us in every way in the first half and all I could come up with was that they were seniors and needed to decide if they wanted to win the game or go home with out first (subregion) loss," DuBose said. "Then the coaches left the lockerroom and waited for them to come out."<br>
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And come out they did.<br>
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Jefferson (15-4, 5-0 in Region 8-A North) held Lakeview to just four third quarter points and used a 22-6 run over the third and fourth quarters to build a 48-31 lead.<br>
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The Lions (11-6, 5-2) never got as close as 12 the rest of the way.<br>
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How Lakeview was even in the game was a credit to their determination. The Lions hit just 4 of their first 21 shots and committed nearly a dozen turnovers before halftime. But their defense kept them in the game.<br>
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They held jefferson leading scorer Jarvis Hunter to just 2 first half points - he finished with 8 - and clsoed the game down.<br>
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But Jefferson used its quickness on defense to force four consecutive Lakeview turnovers in the third quarter to spark a 14-2 run that essentially put the game away.<br>
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"I thought we played much better defense in the second half and Lakeview doesn't like to run with us so I think that played to our advantage once we got a bigger lead," DuBose said.<br>
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Duran Rakestraw finished with 18 points to lead Jefferson. Tierre Shields added 12.<br>
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Lakeview was led by J.B. Little with 11 points. Jefferson shutdown Dustin Wellborn and Will Crumley, who combined for just 14 points.
