Bulldogs Ride Third Quarter Surge to Win
Crockett 54 Aggieland HMS 44
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
CROCKETT – In their last game before district play starts in District 20-3A, the Crockett Bulldogs welcomed the Aggieland HNS Panthers to the Andrew J. Hopkins Activity Center for a tune-up.
The Bulldogs came into the game with a record of 7-3 and a #7 ranking in the latest TABC poll while the Panthers came into the game with a 17-6 mark.
As the game got underway, the two teams set a torrid pace. There were very few fouls (one) in the opening quarter and less than the normal number of turnovers. As a result, the opening eight minutes of the game took less than 10 minutes to play.
Jaroderick Holmes
Jaroderick Holmes dropped in six points for Crockett in the first period while DJ Walker had five. Courtney Byrd and Jadyn Collins added two apiece as the Bulldogs took an early 15-13 lead.
The Panthers’ first quarter points came from Ethan Cox and Sam Cunningham with four apiece while Kaven Rollo drained a three-pointer. Hatch Cunningham also had two in the period for Aggieland.
Crockett opened the second quarter on a 6-0 run to push their lead out to 21-13, which forced Aggieland to call a timeout. The TO seemed to work as it broke the Crockett momentum and slowed the tempo down, in what turned out to be a relatively low-scoring period.
Jadyn Collins
Keshun Easterling found the scoring column with six points while Byrd and Collins both had two. Tayshawn Simon converted one of two from the line to close out the first half scoring for Crockett with the Bulldogs up by a margin of 26-21.
Clive Call paced the second quarter scoring for the Panthers with five points while Rollo had two and S. Cunningham chipped in a free throw.
Following the break, the Bulldogs came out on fire. Holmes led the way with six while Collins had four and Bre’Dron Tucker knocked down a three. Byrd also had three, while Easterling, Walker and Iverson Rischer all had two apiece. Simon made one of two from the line to help give Crockett a 49-30 lead after three were in the books.
Courtney Byrd
S. Cunningham added four more to his total in the third while Rollo nailed a three and Bear Mims made a pair of free throws.
With a 19-point lead to start the final period of play, Crockett throttled down and only managed to score five points in the fourth on a three from Easterling and a two from Simon. Still, it was enough for the Bulldogs to hang on and cruise to a 54-44 win.
On the game, the Panthers were led in scoring by Kaven Rollo with 14 points. Sam Cunningham was also in double-figures with 13 while Clive Call added nine. Ethan Cox dropped in four while Hatch Cunningham and Bear Mims had two apiece to round out the Aggieland scoring.
The Bulldogs were paced by Jaroderick Holmes with a game-high 16 points. Jadyn Collins and Keshun Easterling both had eight apiece while Courtney Byrd dropped in seven. DJ Walker went for six, Tayshawn Sion had four and Bre’Dron Tucker knocked down a three-pointer. Closing out the scoring for Crockett, Iverson Rischer had two.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
