Tigers improve to 17-0 by edging Cardinals in OT

Sam Houston’s record still is spotless — barely.

With Kendric Davis scoring 26 points, the Tigers three-peated at the 77th annual Houston ISD boys basketball tournament, outlasting Bellaire 68-63 in overtime Saturday night at the Wilkins Pavilion.

“I don’t know when the last time an HISD team won three in a row in this tournament, so it’s a huge accomplishment,” coach Ralph Barreras said. “It’s a great way to go into the break.”

The 17-0 Tigers, who are No. 2 in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 6A rankings, are chasing their first state title in 28 years after falling to Atascocita in the state semifinals last season.

They have four players back, including Davis, a junior point guard who is pledged to TCU, and added size in 6-7 senior forward Jacob Wiley, a transfer from SATCH Homeschool who scored 17 Saturday.

But the 15th-ranked Cardinals (16-4) weren’t intimidated.

Bellaire took a 10-5 lead mid-first quarter on a 3-pointer by Blake Bartlett and Jayden Peevy’s transition dunk.

Then Sam Houston went on an 8-0 run — with Davis assisting on three baskets.

He tossed an alley-oop pass to Wiley for a slam, then set up 3-pointers by T.J. Mingo and Gabriel Gonzales for a 13-10 advantage. The Tigers grabbed their largest lead at 27-17 early in the second quarter on a Davis trey.

But Bellaire cranked up its intensity.

Guard Max Evans’ steal and dunk cut the Cardinals’ deficit to 37-34 with 57 seconds left in the first quarter, before another Davis 3 with 39 seconds remaining, giving Sam Houston a 40-34 halftime edge.

The Cardinals continued chipping away in the second half.

Their 7-0 run to end the third, capped by Bartlett’s 3, cut Sam Houston’s lead to 47-46, then the teams tied five times in the fourth, with Christian Brandon’s free throw with 1:03 left forcing OT at 57-57.

Bellaire took its first lead since the first quarter at 5957 on Evans’ jumper to start the extra period, but Henry Hampton answered with a 3-pointer, and then Davis scored the final four points to seal the win.

“We fought through adversity (Saturday) and did some good things, and obviously made some key plays and got some key stops down the stretch,” Barreras said.

Davis, who had 32p oints, six assists and six steals in an 86-55 win over Yates in the semifinals, earned tourney MVP.

“His stats speak for themselves,” Barreras said. “He’s very talented, so he’s the one who makes us go.”

Wiley, Hampton and Marlon Jackson joined him on the all-tournament team.

Peevy and Evans, a Vanderbilt commit who scored 32 points, made the all-tourney team for Bellaire.

The Cardinals ousted Lamar 66-59 in the semis.