Liberty-Eylau boys win in overtime

Leopards’ Phillips, Gray combine for 49 points in win

GLADEWATER, Texas—Decorian Phillips pumped in 26 points, including six 3-pointers, and Ajon Gray added 23 to lead Liberty-Eylau to a 68-63 overtime victory Friday over Jefferson, advancing the Leopards to tonight’s championship game against the Bossier Bearkats (Bossier City, La.) in the Longview Basketball Officials/ Chick-fil-A basketball tournament at Union Hill High School.

The title game tips off at 6 p.m. Bossier defeated Mount Pleasant, Texas, in its semifinal game Friday.

The Leopards (4-1) also got 10 points from Isaiah Cross.

Liberty-Eylau had to stage a fourth-quarter rally to force the overtime period. The Leopards entered the final quarter down 47-37 and went on a 20-10 scoring spree to tie game at 57-all at the end of regulation.

L-E then outscored Jefferson 10-6 in overtime to pull out the victory. Grayson Early paced the Bulldogs with 19 points, Maurice Rudd added 16 (four treys) and Dee Mitchell 12.

Jefferson led 26-25 at halftime.

Belton-Williams Classic

TEXAS HIGH 80,

VISION ACADEMY 40

MONROE, La.—Texas High rebounded from its only loss of the season with a lopsided win over Vision Academy (Monroe).

Four players scored in double figures for the Tigers (5-1), led by Vevailace Hunt with 25 points, including three treys, Calen Wilson with 16, Anton Coulton with 14 and Demarcus Vaughn with 12. Deantae Johnson led Vision Academy with 13.

The Tigers face Richwood (La.) in the consolation final at 5:15 p.m. today.

ATLANTA 81, NEW DIANA 7

DIANA, Texas– The Lady Rabbits turned a dominant first quarter into a rout of the Lady Eagles. After the 16-2 start to the game, the Lady Rabbits were never threatened. The Lady Rabbits put three players in double-figures. They were led by Shevonia Smith with 22 points, Keyona Easter with 21 points, and Teshuna Sheppard with 13 points, while Kinsey Kelly and Brittany Collins chipped in 9 points a piece for the Lady Rabbits in the win.

McLeod Tournament

SEMIFINALS SET

MCLEOD, Texas—The semifinals are set in the McLeod boys basketball tournament after pool play wrapped up and the first round of the bracket was played later Saturday.

McLeod and Queen City finished pool play at 3-0 and the top seeds.

The host Longhorns beat Atlanta, 39-34, and then topped Maud, 50-31, in the bracket. The Bulldogs bested Avery, 43-37, and then beat Bloomburg, 66-40, in the bracket.

In other pool games, Saltillo beat Maud, 42-37, and DeKalb bested Bloomburg, 66-26. In the first round of the bracket, Avery downed DeKalb, 48-30, and Atlanta outlasted Saltillo, 65-48.

Today’s games begin with Maud and DeKalb at 9 a.m. in a consolation semifinal, and Bloomburg and Saltillo meet at 10:30 inthe other consolation semifinal. The consolation final is set for 4:30 p.m.

McLeod and Avery clash at noon in a championship semifinals, and Queen City and Atlanta tussle at 1:30 p.m. The championship game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

DEKALB 66, BLOOMBURG 26

DeKalb tripled the score in its win against Bloomburg.

The Bulldogs were led by a tetrad of double-digit performers who propelled DeKalb to victory.

Tristen Jamison led the way, scoring a team-high 14 points in the rout. Quintrae Palmer dropped three 3-pointers before going on to finish the night with 13 points. Daniel Hendricks dropped 12 points and two 3-pointers for the Bulldogs. Wyatt LaVergne finished out the double-digit Bulldogs with his 10 points on the night.

Jordan Clayton paced Bloomburg’s offensive attack dropping 11 points.

QUEEN CITY 43, AVERY 37

Queen City’s consistency on offense was too much for Avery to counter.

Avery had the only double-digit performer on the night in Kurt Bowles and his 11 points but the Bulldogs were led by a balanced effort from their entire squad. Alan Jackson finished his night with nine points for the Avery Bulldogs.

Queen City’s offensive attack was led by teammates Dexter Burrow and Tyler Nolen. Burrow and Nolen each dropped eight points for the Bulldogs.

SALTILLO 42, MAUD 37

Saltillo held on to the victory in a nail-biter against Maud in East Texas.

Gage Jones led the Cardinals offensively, dropping 10 points.

Ryan Prewitt led Saltillo offensively, dropping 12 points in the win. Teammate Lyle Bench also dropped double-figures, accumulating 10 points for his efforts.

AVERY 48, DeKALB 30

Avery slid past DeKalb in the varsity boys’ game at the McLeod Tournament.

Alan Jackson paced the Bulldogs offensively, dropping 13 points before his night was finished. Teammate Tanner Garrison dropped 12 points in a winning effort. Tristen Jamison led DeKalb with nine points.

McLEOD 39, ATLANTA 34

The host team was led by its double-digit tandem once again in the win.

J.R. Smith dropped a team-high 18 points in the Longhorn win. Teammate Colby Smith wasn’t far behind, dropping 13 points before the final whistle.

Quenten Rowe led the Rabbits offensively, dropping 18 points before the final buzzer.

QUEEN CITY 66, BLOOMBURG 40

Queen City’s valiant effort was enough for the Bulldogs to pull out the win against Bloomburg.

Austin Lowe led the Bulldogs offensively, scoring a game-high 15 points. Dakota Carver drained four 3-pointers on his way to score 14 points before his night was finished.

Jordan Clayton paced Bloomburg’s squad offensively with his 16 points on the night.

McLEOD 50, MAUD 31

McLeod bottled up Maud in the nightcap of its tournament.

J.R. Smith scored a game-high 22 points in the rout of the Cardinals. Dagan Keener scored 10 points, all the while draining two 3-pointers before the final whistle.

R.J. Bailey led the Cardinals offensively, dropping 14 points and three 3-pointers before the end of the contest.

ATLANTA 65, SALTILLO 48

The Rabbits consistency was enough to edge out Saltillo.

Ryan Prewitt paced Saltillo’s offense with his game-high 22 points.

Quenten Rowe dropped a teamhigh 18 points before the final buzzer. Curtis Smith also dropped a 3-pointer and 13 points, in his efforts for Atlanta.