The Lynchburg-Clay Mustangs varsity basketball team fell to 0-2 on the season Friday night when they lost at home to Southern Hills Athletic Conference (SHAC) rivals the Peebles Indians 70-55.
The Mustangs were led in scoring by Eric McLaughlin who finished with 13 points despite battling foul trouble and eventually fouling out in the fourth quarter.
The Indians were led by Tanner Arey who finished with 28 points including 10/13 from the free throw line to lead Peebles to a victory.
The Mustangs looked a step slow in the first quarter after jumping out a a 5-0 lead early. Peebles roared back with eight straight points to take their first lead of the night.
The Indians were able to push the lead to 18-9 at the end of the first quarter as Lynchburg-Clay went cold from the floor.
Lynchburg-Clay stormed back in the second as they posted nine straight to tie the game at 18-18 early in the quarter.
Both teams turned up the intensity before halftime as the teams traded the lead on several occasions.
The Mustangs were able to outscore the Indians 21-8 in the second to take a 30-26 lead into the half.
The Lynchburg-Clay defense was unable to find a way to stop the Indians in the second half as they poured in 19 in the third quarter and 25 in the fourth.
The Mustangs were able to hang onto a narrow lead early in the third quarter before Peebles fought their way back on top and never looked back.
McLaughlin tried to will the Mustangs back into the game hitting two triples in the second half but his constant foul trouble prevented him from being effective.
Austin Hilt and Damin Pierson contributed nine points apiece for the Mustangs but were unable to get their team over the hump against the Indians.
Lynchburg-Clay will be back in action on Saturday when they host the Miami Trace Panthers in non-conference action.
(Box Score)
PHS: 18-8-19-25
LCHS: 9-21-10-15
Peebles: C. Browning 1-0/2-2; Arey 3(4)-10/13-28; Robinson 7-1/2-15; Hanes 1-2/4-4; Smally 2-1/2-5; W. Browning 7-2/6-16
Totals: 21(4)-16/24-70
Lynchburg-Clay: Walker 1(2)-8; Pierson 2-5/6-9; Young (2)-0/1-6; McLaughlin 2(3)-13; Hilt 1(2)-1/2-9; Connor 4-8; Croy 1-2
Totals: 11(9)-6/9-55
Reach Ryan Applegate at 937-402-2572, or on Twitter @RCApplegate89.
