Grapeland Defeats Mabank, 45-39
Sandies Remain Unbeaten
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
MABANK – The Grapeland Sandies hit the road on Friday evening as they traveled to Mabank to take on the Class 4A Mabank Panthers.
The Sandies came into the contest ranked #2 in Class 2A with an unblemished 4-0 record. The Panthers were unranked with a 2-1 record but were looking to build on last year’s playoff appearance.
For a while it looked as if the Panthers might just knock off the Sandies as they used their height advantage and slow, methodical style of play to frustrate the high-octane Grapeland squad. In the end, however, the Sandies smothering defense held Mabank to only 12 second half points as Grapeland pulled out an eight-point win by a score of 47-39.
As the game got underway, the Sandies struggled to find a rhythm and only scored seven first quarter points as Riley Murchison dropped in four while Keizion Ashford added the other three.
Meanwhile, the Panthers used an inside-outside style to open up an 11-7 lead after the first eight minutes of play. Cade Wilson used his 6’7” frame to control the paint as he dropped in six while Landry Johnson worked the perimeter for five.
The second quarter saw Mabank extend their lead to six as they took a 27-21 lead into the locker room at halftime. Doss Kellar paced the Panthers with five while Johnson added another four to his total. Grant Capeheart knocked down a three while Wilson and Caden Smith netted two apiece to close out the Mabank first half scoring.
Murchison found his stroke from behind the arc in the second as he knocked down a pair of treys for the Sandies. BJ Lamb broke into the scoring column as he also scored six while Ashford closed out the Grapeland point production in the quarter with two.
Following the break, the Sandies clamped down on defense and held the Panthers to only five third quarter points on twos from Smith and Wilson to go along with a free throw from Kellar.
The Grapeland defense allowed them to creep back into the game as they tied things up at 32 by the end of the period. Lamb continued to stay hot after the break as he netted five while Ashford, Murchison and Cadarian Wiley all chipped in two apiece.
The final period of play opened with Johnson draining a three, which allowed the Panthers to briefly reclaim the lead. That was it for Mabank, however, as the Sandies held the Panthers to four points for the remainder of the game.
With Mabank’s bigs in foul trouble, Wiley began to take over inside as he powered his way to six points in the fourth. Ashford had five, Lamb added three and Michael Dancer chipped in a free throw as the Sandies rallied to win, 47-39.
On the game, the Panthers were led by Landry Johnson with 12 points and Cade Wilson with 10. Doss Kellar and Caden Smith both had six, Grant Capeheart had three and Josh Germany added a bucket to close out the Mabank scoring.
The Sandies were led by BJ Lamb with 14 points, eight boards, four assists and five steals. Keizion Ashford went for 12 points with four rebounds, two assists and three steals. Riley Murchison also had 12 points as well as three boards and one steal. Cadarian Wiley dropped in eight and pulled down five boards. Michael Dancer chipped in one to go along with two boards, two assists and two steals.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
