There’s a reason the three-point shot has become so popular in the game of basketball in recent years. If consistently hit, the three can spread out defenses, help string together explosive offensive runs and provides a squad with an offensive “X-Factor” late in ballgames.

On Saturday afternoon in a District 11 1A quarterfinal against Weatherly, Lincoln Leadership hit the three-ball early and often, cashing in from deep on 10 occasions to rout the Wreckers 85-59.

The Lions (8-15) looked primed offensively from the start, getting hot from the outside. Joshua Gonzalez was undoubtedly their offensive catalyst early on, hitting five of his six three-pointers in the game during the first half.

The Lions’ recipe for success has been quick tempo and attacking opposing defenses from beyond the arc.

“Offensively, a day like today is what we’re certainly capable of,” said Lincoln Leadership head coach Pernell Hosier. “I have to give my guys credit, because they came out on point and really executed everything we wanted to do. Weatherly is a good team and a well-coached team, and they even got us earlier in the year, but today we were able to turn them over and then hit the three-ball which was key.”

As much as three-pointers were the reason for the Lions’ success in the game, turnovers played that same role for the Wreckers’ (10-13) struggles. Twelve turnovers in the first half disrupted their rhythm, especially at the end of the second quarter. Trailing by just four (27-23) late in the second, crucial turnovers led to an 8-2 run by Lincoln Leadership to end the frame. The Lions flipped the momentum, carrying a 10-point lead into intermission.

It didn’t get any better for Weatherly at the start of the third. Back-to-back miscues to start the second half led to a 7-0 Lions run, including yet another Rodriguez triple, as Lincoln Leadership extended its lead to 17. In all, it was a 15-2 run from late in the second to the first minute of the third that hurt the Wreckers.

“Twenty five-plus turnovers and poor perimeter defense resulted in the loss for us today. But overall, there is a lot of positives to take away from this season,” said Weatherly head coach Corey Gerhart. “We had a JV squad that was 17-4 and a varsity team that has now qualified for the postseason for these straight years. We just need to continue to work off the foundation we built and get better.”

Trailing 42-25 after the Lions big run, Weatherly would never get within single digits the rest of the way.

LEADERS ... Rodriguez led Lincoln Leadership with 26 points. Michael Del Los Santos and Jamie Pagan each added 18. For Weatherly, Antonio Colecio had 15, Elijah Derr had 13 and Trevor Lowman added 10.

NEXT ... Lincoln Leadership will battle Nativity on Wednesday.

LINCOLN LEADERSHIP

Ahmed 0-1-2-1, Del Los Santos 7-4-6-18, Sanchez 1-0-0-2, Diaz 0-0-0-0, Matos 2-0-0-4, Gonzalez 8-4-7-26, Concepcion-Sanchez 2 0-0 4, Driscoll 2-0-0-4, J. Pagan 7-0-0-18, A. Pagan 3-2-2-8. TOTALS: 32-11-17 85.

WEATHERLY

Colecio 6-1-4-15, E. Derr 4-5-7-13, Gerhart 1-1-2-4, Zoscin 2-4-4-8, Lowman 4-2-4-10, Broskoskie 2-1-1-5, Obert 1-0-0-2, Willis 0-0-0-0, Tomkins 0-0-0-0, Ray 0-1-2 1, Solonoski 0-1-2-1, McLaurin 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 20-16-26-59.

LLA 19 16 31 19 - 85

Weatherly 12 13 22 12 - 59

Three-pointers: LL - Gonzalez 6, J. Pagan 4; Weatherly - Colecio 2, Gerhart 1.