Hawks break Buckeyes, 87-55

TEXARKANA, Texas — Pleasant Grove’s Torion Phillips poured in a game-high 22 points as Pleasant Grove crushed Gilmer, 87-55, in a District 15-4A varsity boys basketball game on Tuesday at Hawk Gym.

“Any win in district is a good win,” Pleasant Grove head coach Craig Collvins said. “I thought that we were kinda up and down. We had more great spurts than we did bad spurts, which is what I want. But, as a coach, I want us to be as clean and perfect as possible.

“We have been pressuring the ball, and I think that is coming along. There are some things that we need to work on. Tonight, the kids adjusted and played through some things. Late in the game we got turnovers and proper rotations. I am very pleased with that.”

The Hawks (7-7, 2-1) forced 27 turnovers while turning the ball over 18 times. Kennon Kelley and Jaylen Boardley each finished with seven rebounds as Pleasant Grove outrebounded Gilmer, 46-26.

Cohen Cade and Boardley each scored 16 points for the Hawks. Caleb Dodd had a team-high 19 points for the Buckeyes (2-7, 0-3), and teammate Rohan Fluellen had 15 points.

Pleasant Grove shot an amazing 50 percent from the field (34 of 68), while Gilmer hit on 22 of 55 shots for 40 percent.

The Hawks had a field day in the fourth quarter as they scored 28 points to the Buckeyes’ 12. Boardley scored 10 points in the quarter for PG, who also outscored Gilmer in the third, 16-10.

Pleasant Grove went into halftime with a 43-33 lead.

Early in the second, the Hawks put together a 9-0 spurt and later had an 8-0 rally as they grabbed a 59-43 edge going into the fourth quarter.

Phillips scored five points over a 9-2 spurt for Pleasant Grove to start the first quarter. The Hawks ended the first on a 6-0 rally, which featured putbacks by Cade and Kennon Kelley.

Jackson Gibson lit up the nets for 19 points as Pleasant Grove trounced Gilmer in the junior varsity game, 77-24.

Rip Thomas ripped the cords for 16 points for the Hawks in the victory.

Pleasant Grove plays at Paris in a District 15-4A game on Friday.