Livingston shifted the game’s momentum in the fourth quarter to obtain a playoff win over Mickey Leland College Prep 46-43 in Splendora Tuesday.
For a half, everything was going as planned. Livingston had a 10-point lead and the defense had held Leland to just 13 points through two quarters.
The Knights went on a 19-5 run in the third that changed the game, promising an entertaining final eight minutes.
The Lions trailed by as much as eight in the final period. Much had gone wrong, including two technical fouls, bad shot selection, and multiple turnovers. The offensive rebounds that had given Livingston multiple attempts suddenly disappeared.
Yet, the Lions had one more run. A team effort saw Zayden Martin, Zyleer King and Cruz Julian each score four in the last quarter, while T.J. Garner had six. With a steal in the final seconds and down 46-43, Leland had one last shot at a 3-pointer to tie. That attempt was off target, and the buzzer sounded during a scramble for the ball on the floor.
T.J. Garner led with 15 points, Martin had eight, Ziekus Garner seven and Julian six for the Lions.
Fresh off their 55-47 victory over Vidor, Bullard will be the next opponent for Livingston in the area round.
