LASKER – Northeast Academy needed a win over Ridgecroft School to get back in the hunt for a conference title.

The Eagles got just that here Tuesday night when Jeremy Parker’s 14 points paced Northeast to a 41-23 thrashing of the Rams. That win, coupled with a Hobgood loss to Lawrence on the same night, got the Eagles within one game of the TIC lead with two games to play including a trip to Hobgood.

Northeast came out strong, forcing several Ridgecroft turnovers and raced out to a 10-0 lead.

Hunter Deloatch started the scoring for Northeast and was followed by back-to-back buckets from Parker. Deloatch and Jud Smith scored before Ridgecroft got on the board.

Austin Britton finally scored for the Rams with 2:29 to play in the first quarter, but Parker responded with a triple. Hanes Joyner got the second bucket of the game for the Rams before the quarter ended, but Northeast led 14-4.

Britton and Joyner scored back-to-back buckets to start the second quarter and the Rams were within six (14-8).

The Eagles surged back, however when Deloatch and James Pope hit back-to-back hoops to make it 18-8. Britton scored for the Rams with 1:38 to play in the second quarter, but Northeast held on to an 18-10 lead at the intermission.

Ridgecroft battled back at the beginning of the second quarter when Ethan Phelps hit a pair of free throws and Joyner scored, but Deloatch and Smith answered for the Eagles.

Nathan Pearce scored followed by a Britton three-pointer at the 2:27 mark of the third quarter as the Rams were within three (22-19). They got as close as two (24-22) after a Britton free throw, but Pope scored the final two buckets of the third period to give the home team a 27-22 lead heading into he final period of play.

Once in the fourth period, it was all Eagles. The stingy Northeast defense gave up just a single point (a free throw by Joyner) and rolled off 14 points of their own as they secured the TIC win.

Parker led the way for the Eagles, but Deloatch was also in double figures with 10 points. Pope added seven and Brandon Futrell added six. Britton led Ridgecroft with 10 points while Joyner had seven.