Tigers fall to Sulphur Springs in OT
TEXARKANA, Texas — Texas High rallied from a 9-point deficit to force overtime. However, Sulphur Springs converted 11 of 12 free throws in the extra period.
The free throw shooting propelled the Wildcats to a 67-58 victory Friday at Tiger Center.
The Tigers (4-5, 2-4) finished with a 36 percent shooting percentage, committed only five turnovers and played smothering defense. Texas High made 24 of 66 field goals — 2 of 7 in overtime.
The Wildcats (13-8, 4-2) finished with a 39 percent shooting percentage on 23-of-59 shooting. They held a 47-37 lead in rebounds but had 12 turnovers.
“What kept us in the game in the second quarter, because we had given up some second-chance points and some early transition baskets, was our kids’ hustle,” Texas High coach Jacob Skinner said. “In the second half really flowed.
“When we trust our offense, the good shots will be available. We had a chance to win it with a shot at the rim (at the end of regulation).”
Sulphur Springs pulled away in the extra period from the foul stripe. The Wildcats scored 11 consecutive points — after THS grabbed the lead in OT — with 7 of 8 from the charity stripe to go ahead 63-54 with 37 seconds left.
The teams each scored four points the rest of the way.
The Tigers scored the first four points of the third quarter to regain a 1-point advantage. The lead changed six times in the third and tied twice — at 36 and 41 — the second with 1:11 left. Sulphur Springs hit a pair of free throws with 48 ticks to take a 43-41 lead into the fourth quarter.
The teams continued to trade bucket for bucket in the fourth, and Michael Thomas drained a 3-pointer for THS to knot the score at 52 with 1:13 remaining to play.
The score didn’t change the rest of regulation, sending the game into overtime.
“Our kids played really hard,” Skinner said. “The unfortunate thing is that this season, compared to others when we get our football guys and are working with them through predistrict, is that we’ve been playing all our district games while working them in.”
Thomas scored 19 points to lead Texas High. Caleb Arnold added 10 points, and Damon Augustus had nine and nine rebounds. Zane Dodson led the way on the glass with 10 boards.
Sulphur Springs had four early offensive putbacks to take an 11-4 lead with 3:22 left in the first quarter. After a THS timeout, the Tigers scored six in a row to cut their deficit to 11-10.
The Wildcats scored to take a 13-10 lead into the first break and opened the second quarter six six consecutive points to go up 19-10 with 6:38 left in the half.
Texas High responded with four in a row and a pair of 3-pointers sandwiched around a Tiger putback made it a 12-2 rally. Thomas’ trey with 1:46 left in the second quarter gave the Tigers their first lead (22-21).
Texas High tied the game at 24- and 26-all, but the Wildcats hit a 3-pointer with 2 seconds left to take a 29-26 lead into the locker rooms.
Sulphur Springs shot 39 percent (12 of 31) in the first half, and the Tigers shot 33 percent (11 of 33).
LaModrick Johnson scored nine of his 19 points in overtime for the Wildcats. Boo Wilkerson added 15 points, and Kordrick Turner had 11. Justin Haired pulled down 11 rebounds.
The Wildcats won the junior varsity game, 42-26. Colton Jackson scored eight points for the Tigers, and Jakholbe Johnson added seven.
Texas High posted a 24-22 win in the freshmen game. Kendall Davenport led THS with seven points, and Jason Hubbard and DJ Johnson contributed six points apiece.