WACO - Logan Epes tied up the game with under 10 seconds left, but John Paul II would go down and hit a put-back with under two seconds to give the Cardinals a 59-57 win over Bishop Lynch.

The Friars coaching staff had a great game plan, and the BL basketball team delivered. Just a few weeks ago, BL lost to this Cardinal team by 40 points, and on Friday night, they were seconds away from upsetting JPII for the second consecutive year.

The first half of the action saw some fantastic basketball from both teams. JPII led 16-14 after the first quarter, but the Friars took control in the second with some excellent three-point shooting. Epes, Grayson Bell and Sean Calloway all hit three-pointers in the second. Brice Davis added five points to help BL take a 35-30 halftime advantage.

BL did their best to slow down JPII in the third, but the potent Cardinal offense had their way. It looked like JPII would have a four-point lead going into the fourth until Davis his second three of the game to make it 45-44 JPII.

The fourth quarter would be back and forth until the ending. Bell would hit a big corner three to make it 53-52 JPII, and then Calloway would follow that up with his second three of the game to tie it up at 55 with under 1:30 in regulation.

The Friars had their shot to take the lead with under a minute left tied 55. The coaches drew up a great play to find Davis an open look, but his shot didn't bounce in. JPII  secured the rebound and scored to make it 57-55 with under 30 seconds left, which was followed by Epes' game-tying layup.

Brice Davis finished the game with 18 points, followed by Grayson Bell with 12, Logan Epes with nine, and both Sean Calloway and Justin Lawrence with eight.

The Friars will miss this senior class as they have put many years into the Bishop Lynch basketball program. Congratulations to Coach Kyle May, his assistants and every student-athlete in the basketball program on a wonderful basketball season.