LASKER – Northeast Academy led by as many as 11 points, but a pesky Faith Christian team almost pulled off the victory.

The Eagles held a nine-point advantage (49-40) with 4:42 left in the fourth quarter, but three Patriots field goals cut the lead to three.

Junior Brandon Futrell took the inbounds from the backcourt in for two and then scored after grabbing the offensive rebound to put the Eagles back up by seven.

Mark Williams got a basket for the visitors, but Futrell stepped up and scored two from the charity stripe to seal the 55-48 win for Northeast.

Northeast was led by senior John Pope with 21 points. Futrell added 17 points, including three treys, and pulled down six boards in the win.

“They got close but we came back and extended our lead and were able to hold them off again,” said Northeast Head Coach John Brown.

The Eagles got consecutive baskets from Pope and two foul shots from Jud Smith to take an early 6-0 lead. Clayton Kelly drove through the Northeast defense for the first two of his game high 30 points to get Faith on the board.

Northeast scored the next eight points, stretching their lead to 12 (14-2). Faith got baskets from Timmy Watson and Kelly to end the quarter while Northeast got one more from Pope to give the Eagles a 16-6 advantage.

Futrell scored Northeast’s first eight points of the second quarter.

Faith pulled within four (24-20) after baskets from Elijah Abel and Watson, but Jeremy Parker’s layup just before the buzzer sent Northeast to the locker room with a six-point advantage at the half.

Faith chipped away Northeast’s lead, pulling within three (32-29) on Kelly’s basket with 4:47 on the clock. Josh Jenkins kicked the ball out to Futrell, who scored from downtown.

Jay Baughan scored a put-back and Futrell posted up for two as the Eagles stretched their lead back out to 10 (39-29). Kelly’s trey cut the lead to single digits.

Northeast got eight points from Pope to start the fourth but Faith kept finding the basket. A six-point run by the Patriots pulled them within three before Northeast put them away, 55-48.

“John really attacked well in the other three quarters, but he laid back in the second,” said Brown. “We need him to be aggressive n that makes everyone better.”

James Pope and Douglas Cherry scored three points each to lead the junior varsity Eagles in their 33-14 loss.

Northeast will host Hobgood Friday night in their final game of the regular season.

Northeast(55):

John Pope n 21, Brandon Futrell n 17, Jud Smith n 7, Jay Baughan n 4, Jeremy Parker n 2, Josh Jenkins n 2

Faith (48):

Clayton Kelly n 30, Timmy Watson n 10, Louis Griffin n 2, Elijah Abel n 2, Jordan Marshall n 2, Mark Williams – 2