Quincy Shootout: Reed helps power Link Academy to second-half surge and victory

QUINCY — One of the nation’s most talented and most talked about prep school lineups found itself facing a halftime deficit Friday night.

That’s when Link Academy showed why it is receiving so much attention.

Tarris Reed Jr., playing in the Quincy Shootout for the second time in his career, powered his way to eight fourth-quarter points, helping the Lions outscore the Burlington School 20-15 over the final eight minutes and post a 59-53 victory at Blue Devil Gym.

The 6-foot-10 Reed, who played for Chaminade in the 2020 Shootout, had just four points on a second-quarter field goal and two third-quarter free throws before taking over in the post. The Michigan signee finished with 12 points.

Julian Phillips, a 6-foot-8 forward who has signed with LSU, kept Link afloat despite some first-half struggles as he scored a game-high 18 points, going for 10 in the first half and seven in the third quarter.

Michael Nwoko, a 6-foot-10 junior forward, led Burlington with 15 points, while Avion Pinner scored eight of his 10 points in the first half for the Spartans. Burlington guard Zion Walker scored all 10 of his points in the second half.