PORTLAND – Senior JT Flowers poured in a game-high 29 points Tuesday night to lead Lincoln to a 70-62 non-league win over visiting Century.
The loss was the Jaguars' first of the season after starting 6-0, including a win at Westview, which was ranked No. 1 in the coaches poll at the time.
But the 6-foot-6 Flowers dominated Century inside, scoring 14 of his points in the paint and grabbing 14 rebounds.
"We played hard, but they've got one guy who's just at a different level than everybody on the floor," Century coach Scott Kellar said of Flowers, who received all-state honorable mention last season. "With a kid like him, you've got to give him so much attention.
"He makes the other guys so much better. He was a tough cover. We tried everything, doubled him, chased him around hoping the other guys would miss."
But Lincoln's offense doesn't stop with Flowers. Senior Alex Sattley, a transfer from Franklin, gives the Cardinals a great inside-outside threat. Sattley hit a pair of three-pointers during Lincoln's 11-2 run to start the game, prompting Kellar to take a quick time-out.
"Once these guys start playing together, anything's possible," Lincoln coach Sean Christensen said of the Flowers/Sattley combination. "Both kids can score, both kids can defend. Alex is figuring out what we want to do and is getting better every day."
Sattley, a second-team all-PIL selection last season, finished with 13 points.
Flowers was just as potent from outside, hitting 3 of 4 three-pointers.
"He's JT Flowers and he can definitely do a little bit of this and a little bit of that," Christensen said. "Whatever's needed from him, whether it's defense, offense, rebounding, he's growing into a really great player."
Century did recover from that early deficit and cut Lincoln's lead to 16-13 on junior Madison McCaffrey's three-pointer with 1:15 to go in the first quarter.
But as they would do all night, the Cardinals answered.
Senior Blake Thornton hit a three-pointer, Century turned the ball over and Flowers converted in the paint to build the lead back up to eight.
Junior Austin Flues' hook shot just before the first-quarter buzzer stopped the mini-run and seemed to give the Jaguars some momentum heading into the second quarter
McCaffrey's three-pointer with three minutes to go in the first half cut Lincoln's lead to five, but Flowers answered with a three of his own out top.
Senior Cody Jurgens got in on the three-point act, hitting from the side, followed by McCaffrey's steal and fast-break to trim the lead to three.
Jurgens, who teamed with senior Andrew Queener and Flues in an effort to contain Flowers, picked up his third foul and was forced to sit for the remaining 1:22 of the half.
But Century hung in. After dribbling out most of the final minute, sophomore Jamel Liggins drove for a lay-in to cut the lead to five with seven seconds to go in the half.
Thornton tried to catch Century napping at the other end, but was called for an offensive foul as he drove to the basket. With one second remaining, Thornton hobbled off the court with a bloody nose and it took Lincoln officials nearly 10 minutes to clear the floor of blood.
McCaffrey opened the second half with a three-pointer out top to cut the lead to two, but the rest of the third quarter belonged to the Cardinals, who went to the final quarter with a 55-43 lead.
Some late trapping on Century's part made the game interesting down the stretch, cutting the lead to six at the 4:30 and :30 marks, but Lincoln hit nine free throws in the quarter to seal the win.
"We were a little afraid to pressure too hard, afraid we were going to give up easy baskets," Kellar said. "(The trap) was pretty effective. We did much better at rotating. We got them rattled a little bit. We got it into a little bit of a scramble mode, which is what we wanted, turn the game into a frenzy and hope we could get some quick possessions."
Century's high-pressure defense near the end gave Christensen some practice material.
"We definitely need to work on a little pressing trap stuff," he said. "We're just not used to it, early in the season. We'll work on it and get better at it."
McCaffrey led the Jaguars with 17 points on 6-of-13 shooting to go with five assists. Liggins finished with 12 points and a team-high six assists, while Queener had eight points and a team-high six rebounds.
Lincoln's 70 points were the most scored on Century all season.
With the Hillsboro Spartans, Century next co-hosts the Dec. 27-29 Century/Hillsboro Christmas Classic, opening against Sherwood on Tuesday at 8:15 p.m.
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valentines flowers him
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