TIGERS TRIUMPH
Texas High easily handles Marshall in district opener
Despite missing its leading scorer on the season, Texas High aptly handled Marshall in its District 16-5A opener.
The Tigers, playing without Caleb Wilson, who missed the game due to illness, built an early 16-point advantage and extended it to 25 points in the fourth quarter, leading the Mavericks wire-to-wire during a 75-50 THS victory Tuesday at Tiger Center.
The Tigers shot 50 percent from the field on 31-of-62 shooting. Texas High also held the advantage in rebounding, 41-32, but committed one more turnover than Marshall, 16-15.
The Mavericks shot just under 33 percent from the floor on 18-of-55 shooting.
“We’ve stressed all year that I don’t mind them shooting, as long as it’s a good shot,” Texas High coach Keith Jones said. “Sometimes, you think you’re wide open for a three, and your guy in the corner is wide open. Making that one little pass gives us a little bit extra time to spot up and shoot. We made some really good passes, and that’s something we’ve been doing the last seven or eight games, while we’ve been playing out of town.”
Texas High (8-5, 1-0) swiftly took an 8-0 lead with Nucci Clark scoring six of his 10 points in the opening 1:50. After the Mavericks (8-9, 0-1) cut their deficit to 14-6, THS rattled off eight points in a row, with Kyle Wright nailing two of his four 3-pointers during the streak, going ahead 22-6.
Marshall again rallied for the next eight points, but Texas High sophomore C.J. Kelley threw down a dunk to end the run, and Wright and Elias Thurman followed with treys to make it 30-16 with 5:29 left in the half.
Cole Drumm drained a 3-pointer with 3:08 left and then hit a pair of free throws