LITTLE ROCK — Pottsville Coach Shane Thurman knows his team has to be good in transition to be successful.

Saturday night in the Class 4A North Region semifinals, point guard Michael Perry pushed the ball at every opportunity to lead the charge in a 59-41 victory against Lincoln.

“I thought Michael did a good job of pushing the ball and making good decisions in transition,” Thurman said. “We really tried to keep them in front of us and not take too many gambles, while being solid on defense.”

Pottsville (24-5) scored the first six points of the game and went on a 9-2 run sparked by a Perry three-pointer. Travis Cole scored two baskets in a row for a 17-8first-quarter lead after Lincoln got a three-pointer from Shandon Goldman, who finished with 11 points, and a Colton Barnum basket.

Perry completed a three-point play to put Pottsville ahead 21-11 and Cole hit a three-pointer to maintain a 10-point lead two minutes later. Pottsville’s inside game worked, too, with Corey McCown and Chris Albin hitting shots for a 30-18 halftime lead.

“I was proud of our inside guys,” Thurman said. “They’ve been steadily getting better as we’ve gone along.”

Tyler Weaver hit two of Pottsville’s first six points of the third period to increase the lead to 36-22. But Lincoln (14-15) got three-point baskets from Dalton Simmons and Dylan McConnell to cut it to eight with 2 1/2 minutes left in the quarter.

Trevor Mannes hit inside and Perry, who finished with 15 points, made a mid-court steal and converted a layup to push Pottsville’s lead back to 42-31.

Pottsville broke the game open with a 12-2 run to start the fourth quarter. Cole had two transition baskets and Weaver put in a short hook shot before Perry completed his second three-point play of the game. Cole capped the run with a three-pointer.

Pottsville led by 21 points in the fourth.

Cole’s 16 points led Pottsville.

Sports, Pages 31 on 02/24/2013