WALL, TX -- The no. 11-ranked Wall Hawks booked their ticket to the playoffs with a 56-20 win over Grape Creek on Friday.
Grape Creek held with Wall early, but a pair of three-pointers from Isaiah Guerra helped the Hawks to a 15-8 lead after the first quarter. From there, the scoring trend declined for Grape Creek over the next two quarters.
The Eagles were held to just four points in the second quarter and shutout in the third.
Meanwhile, Guerra and Lex Dusek helped Wall extend their lead to 44-12 by the end of the third quarter. Guerra scored four points over the second and third quarters while Dusek got hot for six points in the third.
Wall tallied another 12 points in the final quarter thanks to a pair of threes from Austin Williams and four points from Tate Williams. Grape Creek found a rhythm for eight points behind a three from Chase Stroud and three points from Hagan Delagarza.
Wall (25-3, 8-0) will travel to Brady on Tuesday, Jan. 29.
Grape Creek (3-19, 0-8) hosts Reagan County on Tuesday.
Lake View Fights Way to Third Place Behind Hart, Espinosa
The Lake View Chiefs knocked off the Big Spring Steers 55-50 at home on Friday in a battle for third place in District 5-4A.
The Chiefs trailed after the first, but five points from Ryan Avalos kept it close at 10-8.
Lake View then roared back with a 12-point second quarter to take a 20-19 lead at the half. Dylan Hart posted half of those second quarter points
That lead vanished in the third quarter, however. Big Spring erupted for 20 points, putting the Chiefs down 39-31 entering the fourth quarter.
The Chiefs clawed their way back with a 24-point outburst in the fourth quarter highlighted by Dylan Hart and Johnny Espinosa each scoring eight points to lift the Chiefs to the win.
In total, Hart would finish the game with 16 points. Espinosa was the only other Chief to break double digits with 12 points.
Lake View (13-16, 2-2) travels to Midland Greenwood on Jan. 29 to start the second round of district play.
Ballinger Inches Closer to Playoff Certainty in Win Over Brady
The Ballinger Bearcats moved one step closer to a playoff berth with a 68-42 win over the Brady Bulldogs on Friday.
The Bearcats jumped on the Bulldogs quickly with Jon Delgado making two consecutive three-pointers during the first quarter. Marcus Toliver also notched six points in the 22-point first quarter explosion for Ballinger.
The Bearcats also used a good defense to hold the Bulldogs in check, ending the first quarter 22-8. That lead grew to 40-17 at the half behind threes from Kenyan Gonzales and Cody Harral.
Brady started the second half with Gonzalo Morales hitting three three-pointers in the third quarter helping the Bulldogs to 17 points. Ballinger, however, would snub Brady's comeback attempt with 13 points of their own to take a 53-34 lead into the fourth quarter
The Bearcats made up by playing good defense in the fourth, holding Brady to just eight points.
Delgado finished with 14 points. Daniel Cavasos was second for Ballinger with 13 points. Toliver was the only other Bearcat in double figures with 10 points.
Morales took the game-high mark with 17 points for Brady.
Ballinger (17-11, 6-2) will be off on Tuesday before traveling to no. 11 Wall on Feb. 1.
Brady (7-17, 3-4) hosts no. 11 Wall on Tuesday.
Robert Lee Holds off Water Valley's Late Rally
The Robert Lee Steers nearly saw their nine-point lead wiped off in the fourth quarter of what eventually turned into a 44-39 win over Water Valley on Friday.
Three-pointers from Julian and Manny Gamboa helped Robert Lee to an 11-6 lead after the first quarter. Nathan Scates posted five points in the second to see Robert Lee's lead to 22-13 at the half.
After halftime, Water Valley found their rhythm. Hunter Davis posted five points in the third quarter to help the Wildcats keep pace with Robert Lee in the quarter and bring the score to 32-23.
Threes from Conner Glass and Nathan Treadaway helped the Wildcats post 16 points in the fourth quarter. However, Robert Lee managed 12 points in the fourth thanks to a 10-point burst from Manny Gamboa.
Gamboa would finish the game with the game-high mark of 16 points.
Davis had Water Valley's team-high of 13 points. Glass finished with 10.
Robert Lee moves to 7-1 in district play. They will host Blackwell on Tuesday, Jan. 29.
Water Valley falls to 0-8 in district. They travel to Bronte on Tuesday
Garden City's Explosive Second Half Bounces Klondike
The Garden City Bearkats used an explosive second half to down the Lamesa Klondike Cougars 52-42 on Friday.
Garden City opened a seemingly commanding lead at 13-2 going into the second quarter. They were held to just nine points while Klondike exploded for 20 to tie the game at 22 going into halftime.
Parker Koenning and Cesar Chavez helped spark the Bearkats in the third quarter, scoring nine of their 17 points to take a 39-27 lead into the fourth quarter.
Klondike had a 15-point burst in the fourth quarter, but nine made free throws from the Bearkats helped seal the win for Garden City.
Chavez led the team in scoring with 14 points. Koenning scored 12 points, half of which came from three-point range. Hagan Halfmann was the only other Bearkat in double figures with 10 points.
Garden City (5-9, 2-2) will look to keep their form on the road Jan. 25 when they take on Sands.
Scores from around the area:
- Sonora 48, Reagan County 45
- Irion County 58, Blackwell 36
- Veribest 54, Bronte 19
- Menard 57, Rochelle 45
- Euless Trinity 63, Central 58
This story will be updated.
Scores and stats can be sent to [email protected].
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