Junior Ben Lippen forward Tyler Renew attempts a reverse layup on a fast break while being defended by Hammond’s Seventh Woods. Photo by Erin Walther The Hammond Skyhawks traveled across Columbia to take on the Ben Lippen Falcons Friday, January 27 in front of a capacity crowd. The two teams were perfectly matched. Despite coaching adjustments by the Falcons from the previous meeting, which Hammond won 41-23, the Skyhawks escaped a scrappy Ben Lippen team hungry for a win by a score of 51- 44.

The Falcons fall to a record of (5-13), while the Skyhawks advance to a record of (10-7).

A balanced offensive attack anchored by Hammond’s eighth grade phenomenon Seventh Woods and senior forward Brandon Picow was matched by the perimeter 3-point shooting ability of Ben Lippen’s Luke Burnett. Sharpshooter Burnett would finish the game with 17 points, hitting four- of- seven from 3- point land. Hammond’s Woods would also finish with 17 points with Picow adding 11.

The Falcons led the Skyhawks at the conclusion of the first quarter 13-11. Hammond was rescued in the second quarter by senior guard McNair Coleman, who hit three consecutive 3-pointers, giving the Skyhawks a lead the Falcons would never recover from. At the half, Hammond held a 25- 16 lead over Ben Lippen.

The Skyhawks held onto the 9-0 run sparked by Coleman in the first half and ultimately never gave up the lead in the second half. However, the Falcons cut the Hammond lead down to five in the beginning of the fourth quarter thanks to more 3- pointers from junior Luke Burnett and fast break buckets from Tyler Renew. Nail- biting games are nothing new to the Falcons, as the team has played in five games in which the margin of victory has been less than five points.

The game permanently turned Hammond’s way late in the fourth quarter when Woods threw down a thunderous dunk following a steal from half court. The dunk was followed by a technical foul called on members of the Hammond student section who ran onto the court in celebration of the game-changing dunk.

Hammond would hold on to this momentum and allowed only two points for the Falcons after Wood’s breakaway jam. The Skyhawks were also nearly perfect from the free throw line at the end of the game.

Ben Lippen coach Ryan Molony said, “I’m incredibly proud of the way our boys played tonight, and the crowd support by the Superfans was invaluable. We needed a stop there at the end, but we unfortunately couldn’t get one. For a two-possession game, this one was as close as they get.”

Hammond hosts the Augusta Christian Lions Friday, February 3. Ben Lippen will take a week off before playing host to the visiting Augusta Christian Lions Tuesday, February 7 in a must-win situation in order for a playoff bid.