[Stardust]

CORBIN — Pineville made a little bit of history Thursday night at the 13th Region Tournament. The 2012 Mountain Lions became the first team from the school to advance past the first round of the region since 1978 as they knocked off Corbin 56-51.

“I don’t know when the last time was, somebody said it was 1978,” Pineville coach J.D. Strange said. “But this one sure feels sweet.”

Junior guard Seth Jeffrey hit a 3-pointer with 27 seconds to play to put the Lions up 54-51. That shot proved to be the game winner as Cody Collett deflected a Travis Smith pass in the lane and tied the ball up with ten seconds to go. The possession was pointing Pineville’s way and John Simpson hit two free throws with eight seconds left to seal the win.

“I just came across and caught it and felt like I could shoot it,” Jeffrey said of the game-winner. “We just played the best we could and took care of the ball. We tried to get it inside and those guys did their job in there, when they kicked back out we hit our shots when we needed them.”

Corbin had no answer for Simpson inside. The junior led all scorers with 18 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Pineville also got production from their players on the outside. Jared Philpot finished with 13 points, Collett and Byron David Asher added nine each and Jeffrey chipped in with seven.

“Kids have got to step up and make plays,” Strange said of Jeffrey’s late shot. “We knew they were going to put a lot of attention on John and Byron inside. Our perimeter kids stepped up and made plays and when we get balance it makes us that much tougher.”

Leading the way for the Redhounds was senior swingman Travis Smith with 15 points. Hunter Grubb added 13 off the bench and Zach Farley finished with nine.

It was a nip-and-tuck game throughout. Pineville went to Simpson early and often to start the game and he scored six of his points in the first quarter. Asher added four and Jeffrey’s steal and layup put the Lions up 14-9 after one.

Smith’s jumper tied the game at 16 with 3:55 to play in the first half, but Pineville answered with a basket inside from Simpson and 3-pointer from Philpot.

Smith would convert a three-point play later in the half and Trevor Hill’s basket gave Corbin a 24-23 lead at the break.

“I told the kids they’ve got to trust each other and when bad times hit just look to each other for positive support,” Strange said. “What a basketball game. Our kids just played with purpose and I can’t say how proud I am of them, especially where we were four weeks ago.”

The game went back and forth for most of the third quarter. A tip-in by Asher and a Philpot jumper put the Lions up 38-36 going into the fourth.

The Redhounds were never able to go on one of their patented runs. Pineville’s guards handled the press well, they turned the ball over 16 times, and the Lions did a good job getting back on defense in transition.

“It was a close game all the way and I thought our defense had a lot to say about that,” Strange said. “Corbin’s an up and down team, they call them the running Redhounds. We had them walking up and down the court a little bit. (But) Tony Pietrowski does a good job with them and I thought we beat a very good basketball team.”

Corbin opened the fourth quarter with a little bit of a spurt as Farley hit a 3 and then added a layup after a steal and the Redhounds led 43-40 with about six minutes to play. A Kaleb Maguet 3-pointer gave Corbin their biggest lead at 46-42 at the 4:35 mark.

“The thing I really liked is when they went ahead of us, we showed some character and came back and answered the bell,” Strange added. “I felt like for the first time the kids really understood our strengths and went to them. I’m really proud of them.”

Jeffrey found Asher cutting to the basket for a layup and after Corbin missed a 3, Collett knocked one down for the Lions and Pineville led 47-46 with 3:00 to go.

Corbin tied it at 49 on a 3 by Grubb and at 51 on a basket by Farley with 1:00 to play.

The Lions called a timeout with about 45 seconds to go and appeared poised to hold for a last shot, instead Jeffrey found an opening and knocked down the game-winner.

Corbin ends the season with a record of 19-11.

Pineville (12-18) advances to play Clay County Saturday at 3:30 in the late semifinal. The early semifinal pits North Laurel against Knox Central at 2 p.m.

“We’re excited. Just the fact that we’re there, hopefully between now and Saturday afternoon we’ll be prepared for what we feel like is the best way to play Clay.”

Read more: The Middlesboro Daily News - Lions advance Jeffrey’s late 3 lifts Pineville to 56 51 win over Corbin