Denbigh High School’s boys’ basketball team proved on Friday that is it hard to beat an opponent three times in one season, but junior guard Daquan Boyette and the Lakeland High School Cavaliers made sure the proof did not come with a Patriots win.

Boyette came off the bench to score a career-high 40 points and lead his team to a 74-69 overtime victory in the first round of the Ironclad Conference tournament at King’s Fork High School.

Cavaliers coach Clint Wright reminded his team that last year, Denbigh was the No. 4 seed and had beaten Lakeland twice before the Cavs ended the Patriots’ run in the conference tournament.

This year, the roles were almost completely reversed. Lakeland is the No. 4 seed and had beaten No. 5 Denbigh twice in the regular season.

“We were able to beat a very good ball club three times in one season, and that doesn’t happen that often,” Wright said.

Victory No. 2 came on Wednesday when Cavaliers sophomore guard Jerry Goodman scored 20 points and junior forward Deonta Knight contributed 16 to aid in a 60-52 road win.

With this game fresh in mind, the Patriots established a defensive scheme on Friday to limit Knight and Goodman, but it simply opened the door for Boyette.

Denbigh began the game well, with a 9-0 lead, but then Boyette entered the game and got Lakeland on the board.

“Daquan Boyette came off the bench and immediately sparked the team with energy,” Wright said.

He scored 15 points in the first half to keep his team in the game, but the Cavaliers only managed four points in the second quarter and trailed by 10 at halftime, 31-21.

Then, “we had our best third quarter of the season,” Wright said.

Boyette scored 17 of his team’s 25 points in the period, while the Patriots only managed 10.

The fourth quarter ended in a 60-60 tie, but Boyette was not done scoring. He contributed a three-pointer and went 3-for-4 from the free throw line in the extra period.

It was after he shot one of those free throws that Wright first discovered just how many points Boyette had racked up.

For an individual player, “I’ve never seen 40 on the King’s Fork scoreboard,” the coach said, noting he assumed at first that it was a misplaced jersey number listing.

Boyette’s points came via eight two-point shots, six three-pointers and six free throws.

Wright said he will be talking to Lakeland’s activities director to see where the performance ranks in school history.

“What happens if he had played the first three or four minutes of the game?” Wright asked.

Knight had what Wright praised as a “typical day at the office” with another double-double, 12 points and 11 rebounds, and he made sure to find Boyette with his passes.

Senior point guard Kenya Latham hit two clutch free throws in the waning moments of overtime that pushed Lakeland’s lead to four points.

Wright also praised senior guard Terry Mitchell for a profound defensive performance.

No. 4 Lakeland (12-11) advances to face No. 1 Heritage High School in the conference tournament semifinals on Wednesday evening at King’s Fork. The winner not only advances but also qualifies for regional competition.