“We had game plans, scouting reports and it was working,” Randolph head coach Kevin Hind said.

In the blink of an eye, however, the Cardinals saw it all slip away.

Sparked by Stephen LeBrecht’s 10 points, Section V’s Lyons went on an 18-2 run in the first 5 1/2 minutes of the third quarter to send it to a 61-44 victory.

The win moves the Lions (22-1), who lost to Randolph in the regionals last year, into the New York State Public High School Athletic Association final four next weekend at Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls. The Cardinals, meanwhile, end their season 21-3.

Cardinals’ Roan Kelly drives to the basket for a layup. Photo by Mike Frame

For the first two quarters last night, however, Hind had his all-guard starting lineup staying in touch with the Lions despite giving up size to 6-foot-5 center JJ Johnson, shooting just 7 of 22 from the field and committing 10 turnovers.

That was offset by five 3-pointers, including a pair by Kevin McElwain. Only a trey by Devyn Williams in the closing moments of the first half allowed Lyons to head to the locker room with a 24-22 lead.

From that point, the Section V champs seized control.

In a game-changing way.

Williams opened the third quarter with a 3-pointer in the first minute; LeBrecht hit a pair of jumpers; Dezmen Bell scored on a putback; and then LeBrecht drilled back-to-back treys and Bell canned yet another.

Randolph’s Griffin Nelson brings the ball up the court. Photo by Mike Frame

The only Randolph points during that blitz were a pair of free throws by Drew Hind. Armed with a 42-24 lead, the Lions were never seriously challenged the rest of the way.

“No way we can guard everyone evenly and let the big guy just destroy us, so you have to pick and choose,” Coach Hind said. “Coming out at halftime they hit three or four shots in a row and we don’t hit anything. We talked about it from Day One. If we go cold, we’re in trouble. We’re not getting a lot of second-shot opportunities — basically zero — and we’re outmanned. We’re trying, fighting and they hit shots.”

The Cardinals did go on a mini-run, courtesy of a trey from Griffin Nelson and three straight layups by Roan Kelly, but the Lyons’ Jaheim Morris tossed in a 40-footer at the buzzer to thwart any Randolph momentum.

Johnson, only a sophomore, led Lyons with 21 points; LeBrecht, Bell and Williams each had 10; and Morris added 9.

For the Cardinals, Nelson had 12 points, Drew Hind had 11 and McElwain and Kelly both had 9.

Randolph’s Cooper Freeman looks for an open teammate during Friday’s Class C Far West Regional at Buffalo State Sports Arena. The Cardinals lost to Section V’s Lyons 61-44. Photo courtesy of Mike Frame

While a return trip to the North Country wasn’t in the Cards this year, Coach Hind wasn’t downcast as he talked about the season outside Randolph’s locker room.

“It was never about a state championship or bust,” he said. “We had deficiencies, we were little, we came up against a bad matchup for us. We put our heart and soul into it.”

Calling Friday a “great day,” Hind acknowledged that “these opportunities don’t come around very often.”

“If we win somehow, it turns into an incredible day, an awesome day. … We had a great run and a good season. I’m still a state champ, so are all those guys in (the locker room). No one is taking that away. A better team beat us tonight. That same team we beat last year (in the Far West Regional) made good adjustments. … They did a good job on Drew. We have nothing to hold our heads about.”

As for next season, the Cardinals return everyone except Kelly, who will graduate in June.

Randolph’s Kevin McElwain, left, is closely guarded by Lyons’ Jaheim Morris during Friday’s Class C Far West Regional at Buffalo State Sports Arena. Photo courtesy of Mike Frame

“We were basically talking about next year already,” Coach Hind continued. “Nothing that you want that’s awesome is easy, is given. Don’t sit here and feel sorry for ourselves. … The first thing you need to do to beat a team like that is come back 20 pounds stronger, because we aren’t going to grow 8 inches. You have to control what you can control.”

For a half, Randolph did a good job of that last night.

After that?

“The bottom line is they were better than us tonight,” Coach Hind said.

LYONS (61)

Johnson 10 1 21, LeBrecht 4 0 10, Briggs 0 0 0, Bell 4 0 10, Williams 4 0 10, Morris 4 0 9, Horn 0 1 1. Totals 26 2 61.

RANDOLPH (44)

Hind 3 5 11, McElwain 3 0 9, Kelly 4 0 9, Nelson 4 0 12, Freeman 0 0 0, Brooks 1 0 3. Totals 15 5 44.

3-point goals–LeBrecht 2, Bell 2, Williams 2, Morris, McElwain 3, Kelly, Nelson 4, Brooks.

Lyons 10 14 22 15 — 61

Randolph 11 11 11 11 — 44