Coahoma and Forsan battle on the courts
Courtesy Photo
The Forsan Buffaloes are still wiping the dust off their basketball game. The Buffaloes went a few rounds in the state football playoffs so they are gradually breaking in their sneakers. Tuesday's game against the Coahoma Bulldogs it showed - as the game wore on, Forsan gradually begin to improve. It all amounted to a 55-36 win over Coahoma Tuesday night at Dorothy Garrett Coliseum.
The Buffaloes looked rusty early, having a miserable time making shots. What kept them in contention was its pressure defense. Coahoma led by as much as seven in the first half and never trailed until Forsan's Thomas Gabehart sunk a three-pointer just before the buzzer, giving Forsan a 23-20 lead at halftime.
In the second half, Forsan's defensive pressure took over; the smaller and more physical Buffaloes forced 21 Coahoma turnovers which turned the game into a rout. Forsan outscored Coahoma 8-4 the first six minutes of the third period; after that it was a parade of Coahoma turnovers. and that was it. "We couldn't break them down in the fist half, they almost broke us down," said Forsan coach Cory Richardson. "Then we got our second wind and started to smell blood. We put our bigs on the trap and made them throw over us. It allowed our little guys to shoot the gaps to get us some steals and turnovers."
The Forsan trap definitely frustrated the Bulldogs. One time a Coahoma player got called for a technical foul for hanging on to the rim trying to dunk the basketball. It was that kind of night for Coahoma.
Forsan employed a balanced attack, led by ball hawks Morgan, Sawyer Stallings and Jace . Richardson. Forsan put three players in double figures. Stallings and Gabehart scored 11 point each and Richardson added 10. The Buffaloes out worked the Bulldogs on the boards, holding a 41-28 rebounding average.
Coahoma's only answer was Ryan Shifflett who tried his best to keep his team in the game. The sophomore forward was the only one the could contend with the Forsan press. Shifflett played a well rounded game, making six 10 shots from the floor, finishing with17 points and six rebounds.
Coahoma coach Brandon Lucas says his team has ways to go. "It's growing pains," said Lucas. "We're still struggllng with pressure and learning how to attack it. We've got four freshmen and a few sophomores. We've got to get into some kind of continuity and make it flow."
Forsan improves to 4-2 for the season while Coahoma falls to 2-3. Caahoma will compete in the Borden County tournament starting Thursday. Forsan will be at home Friday against Grape Creek.
COAHOMA - Arian Emerson 1 0 2; Tavyn Hipp 1 0 2; Ryan Shifflett 6 2 17; Austin Perkins 2 0 4;Byce Davis 1 0 2; Raheem Ashford 2 3 7; totals 13-38;, 6-10 36.
FORSAN - Cayden Morgan 4 1 9; Sawyer Stallings 4 1 11; Thomas Gabehart 4 2 11; Mike Mendez 1 0 2; Major Stockton 1 0 2 Jace Richardson 5 0 10; Connor Hair 2 0 6; Ernestro Rivera 2 1 5; Nick Bucigalupo 2 04 4 ; totals 23-65, 6-16 55. Coahoma - 07-13-06-10- 36
Forsan 05-18-12-20 - 55
Turnovers- Coahoma 33, Forsan 16; Rebounds - C0ahoma 28 (Ashford 7, Shiflflett 6), Forsan 41 (Stallings 6, Rivera 6); Three Pointers - C0ahoma (Shifflett 3, Hipp 1); Forsan (Hair 2, Morgan 1, Stallings 1, Gabehart 1); Assists - Coahoma (Shiflett 3); Forsan (Stallings 3); Steals - Cohoma (Kemper 2, Emerson 2), Forsan (Morgan 3, Stallings 3, Richardson 3); Blocked shots - Forsan (Gabehart).