Lebo survived a tense finish Friday to claim third place in the Class 1A Division II State Tournament at White Auditorium in Emporia, edging Cunningham 65-64 after a frantic final sequence.
Lebo jumped in front early behind a scorching opening quarter from Gerek Reber. The Wolves led 19-17 after one period, with Reber pouring in 14 of Lebo’s points to set the tone.
Head Coach Dennis Becker said the hot start was key for the victory.
The Wolves built momentum in the second quarter and stretched the lead to as many as 15 points with 2:48 remaining before halftime. Cunningham chipped away late in the period, but Lebo still carried a 39-34 advantage into the break.
Cunningham continued to apply pressure in the second half. The Wildcats slowly closed the gap and trailed by just two points at the end of the third quarter, with Lebo holding a narrow 52-50 lead heading into the final period.
The fourth quarter stayed tight throughout, with neither team able to create much separation. Lebo managed to hold a three-point lead in the closing seconds before Cunningham raced down the floor for a last-second layup at the buzzer. The Wildcats cut the margin to one but appeared unaware they trailed by three, leaving Lebo to escape with the 65-64 victory.
Reber led all scorers with 27 points to pace the Wolves.
Lebo shot 19 of 38 from the field, including 7 of 12 from three-point range, and went 20 of 35 at the free-throw line. Cunningham finished 23 of 59 from the field, 4 of 14 from beyond the arc and 14 of 22 at the foul line.
With the win, Lebo closes the season at 21-8 and brings home a third-place finish from the state tournament.
