Wolves, Elks maul Bulldogs in Turkey Shoot tournament

LINCOLN — For Decatur coach Fess Thompson, the struggle to get his team ignited continued Nov. 26 when the Bulldogs traveled to Lincoln to participate in day three of the second Annual Turkey Shoot basketball tournament. The night ended badly for the Bulldogs as the host Lincoln Wolves varsity rolled over Decatur by 27 points.

The Bulldogs were up against a much bigger and stronger 3A conference school and were considered the underdogs. This became apparent during the first half of the contest.

The first quarter was all defense as both the Wolves and Bulldogs blocking, coupled with consistent defensive rebounds kept the contest scoreless until the fiveminute mark when the Wolves hit a field goal for two. The Bulldogs answered with a field goal of its own on the next possession, tying the game at two. With 1:44 left in the quarter, Decatur gained the lead for the first time and managed to hold it at the buzzer ending the quarter.

Halfway through the second quarter, the Wolves’ offense caught fire and, by the end of the first half, they held the lead by more than 15 points.

Lincoln continued to pound Decatur on the boards, eventually running away with the contest, 51-20, by the end of the third quarter. Decatur offense tried to mount a run halfway through the final quarter, but for every Decatur field goal, Lincoln answered with one of its own. When the final buzzer sounded, the Lincoln Wolves took a 57-30 win over the Decatur Bulldogs.

On the first day of the Turkey Shoot tournament Nov. 23, the Elkins Elks ran over the Decatur Bulldogs, 65-19.

The Decatur Bulldogs will be on the road Dec. 5 to face the West Fork Tigers at the Tiger Dome for a 7 p.m. contest.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS After rebounding a missed Bulldog shot, Kevin Garcia (25) puts up a second jumper during the Nov. 26 Lincoln-Decatur basketball contest in the old middle school gym in Lincoln.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS After stealing the ball away from a Wolves player, Edgar Herrera (left) stops for a second to gain control of the ball before passing it off to a teammate during the first quarter of the Lincoln-Decatur basketball contest at the old middle school gym in Lincoln Nov. 26.