LBJ basketball win over Tigers
Another chance, another chance denied. The Tigers managed to stub their toe on the chance to win their 20thgame and take over the district lead against LBJ. Those things will have to wait as state-ranked LBJ took charge and never lost a quarter in turning back the Tigers 61-43. Although it appears inevitable the Tigers (7-2, 19-6) will make the playoffs, they can ill afford to allow their guards down with the five remaining opponents ahead. Previously in the week they had won their game over Lanier. Looming ahead is Lockhart, McCallum and Reagan.
Lanier certainly put up a better fight this time around but it was still not enough to really make a game of it as the Tigers got rolling in the second quarter and pushed out to a 67-28 victory. Both teams pushed the ball up and down the court but had trouble scoring in the first stanza. Lanier would finally make a basket at the 3.30 mark and it would be the only lead they would ever enjoy. Thanks to threes by Tyler Smith and Xavier Phillips the Tigers held a 9-4 lead after one.
Tiger defense was once again smothering. Lanier was unable to penetrate the lane and were forced to shoot around the perimeter and without much accuracy. Shooting accuracy for the Tigers in the second improved and four threes helped feed the scoring machine. At the 3.11 mark Enzo Arnold would sizzle as he made ten points, seven in a row, to head up the surge that put the Tigers up 32-10 at the break.
Leading the charge in the third were Nick Statz (6), Arnold (4) and Phillips (4). It would end 50-17 after three. Players were substituted freely throughout the quarter and the final two and half minutes was a game of keep away with no thoughts of scoring.
The Tigers were able to come out and put up a fight against the Jaguars in the first quarter but at the end would find themselves behind 13-11. That would be as close as they could remain as LBJ got hot in the second and moved ahead 33-20 at the break. DS could not find the answer and fell a little farther back after three 46-29.
Vs Lanier: Phillips 16, Arnold 14, Statz 8, Alema Louis 6, Kyle Rioux 4, Jayden Guevara 4, Trace Young 3, Hayden Shields 3, Smith 3, Collin De-Witt 2, West Weichert 1.
Vs LBJ: Arnold 14, Young 9, Phillips 8, Statz 5, Louis 3, Rioux 2, Ben Bondurant 2.