Lawrence Takes Down Locust Valley, 81-61

Lawrence (4-2) was able to come out ahead of Locust Valley (3-2) in a well-matched game Wednesday afternoon. Both teams were able to hit early on, keeping the score relatively tied throughout the first two quarters. The Falcons' aggressive and agile playing style was a tough spot for the Golden Tornadoes to overcome at first, but they were later able to regain a solid team flow. Pulling ahead in the second quarter, Lawrence maintained a comfortable lead for the entire game and their strong defense brought them to the 81-61 non-league win.

"It was a great team effort, especially on the defensive end," Lawrence Coach Pete Linderman said. "It was one of the best individual performances by Eddie Robinson."

The Golden Tornadoes put in a beautiful team effort to bring home this victory, but the stand out player of the game was sophomore guard Eddie Robinson. He was able to fly down the court to bring the ball back into Lawrence territory, as well as deliver solid points in difficult situations. Locust Valley's forceful and quick approach was no match for Robinson, who scored 32 total points and five rebounds.

"We did alright, it was a good team effort," he said. "We came out strong."

Teammate Ibraheem Shamseldin scored 15 points and four assists, while Cliffton Lyerly brought home 12 points and nine rebounds. Both players were able to stay alert throughout the duration of the game, even when the Falcons had control of the court.

"I think that we did well," Shamseldin said. "We scored 81 points, which is really high for a high school game. We played fast paced and we ran up the court and played defense. We also got a lot of steals and assists."

Lawrence was really able to leap ahead of the Falcons in the second quarter when they began hitting enough successive points to gain a comfortable lead at 36-24. Locust Valley was able to gain a little bit of ground in the third quarter with a strong offense, but not enough to match up with Lawrence's shining defense.

Linderman explained that this season has been a process and that this game was their fourth win. "We are getting better each day, which is what you can hope for," he said.

This fast paced game showed off Lawrence's ability to play against a tough opponent. The Golden Tornadoes had a few slip ups even when they were ahead, yet they were able to recover with ease and fluidity. With a fierce determination in the fourth quarter, Lawrence put in a solid team effort and was able to bring this win home with Locust Valley staying 20 points behind.

The Golden Tornadoes take on the Mineola Mustangs on Jan. 4 at Mineola High School.