PORTLAND — Cody Tozier’s second-half surge Saturday afternoon was impressive enough. Perhaps more important for Lincoln Academy was the way in which that hot streak awakened his teammates.
Held down for the first half and much of the third quarter, the No. 4 Eagles collectively caught fire, stormed back from a five-point deficit and bounced the No. 5 Wells Warriors, 63-53, in a Class B boys’ basketball quarterfinal at Portland Expo.
Tozier, a 6-foot-4 junior center with a shooting guard’s range, turned in 17 of his game-high 22 points in the second half. He applied the exclamation point with nine in the fourth quarter.
Riley Cushing added 12 points, Keyden Leeman 10 and Cody Leeman eight for the Eagles (9-10), who flew to the semifinals for the second consecutive year. Lincoln will take on No. 1 Lake Region at 8:30 p.m. Thursday.
Owen Berry topped Wells (9-10) with 14 points, all but three in the final period. Matt Sherburne and Deandre Woods each scored seven. Riley Dempsey and Dylan MacKay added six apiece.
Wells amassed its largest lead, 32-27, with 2:30 left in the third period. Lincoln answered with an 8-0 run. Tozier’s basket tied it. Keyden Leeman put the Eagles ahead to stay with a 3-pointer.
Cody Leeman scored all eight of his points in the second half. He went 5-for-6 from the free-throw line in the fourth quarter. Cushing hit a 3-pointer to extend the lead early in the closing chapter.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
