Crandall Cruises to 71-34 Win Over Bullard to Claim Boys Title At Great East Texas Shootout

BROWNSBORO -- Thanks to a big second half, the Crandall Pirates defeated the Bullard Panthers 71-34 to take the 2012 Great East Texas Shootout title on Saturday.

The senior tandem of Issac Russell and Nathan Kirbie combined for 29 points and 13 rebounds.

"The kids have been playing really hard defensively," said Crandall head coach Stan Short. "We've been trying to add some offensive chemistry, and when you're good on both ends of the floor, then you've got a pretty good team. We had a handful of errors in the first half that we had to get cleaned up. In the second half, we didn't make any mistakes. And when you start to do all the little things right that you're supposed to do, then things start to look real good. It was fun to watch."

Early in the third, Crandall (11-2) went on a 24-8 run sparked by Russell's 11 points. He hit two free throws, then got a steal and layup at the 4:01 mark to go up 40-22. Two plays later, he drained a three-pointer from the corner to go up, 43-22.

Bullard's (6-7) Corbin Howard hit a three-pointer with one minute remaining in the third to bring the Panthers within 22, and that's as close as Bullard got.

Crandall opened the game on a 7-0 run thanks to Tanner Dykman, who sank a trey, then hit a cutting Russell to the basket at the 2:30 mark for the Pirates. Bullard's Hunter Landrum sank two free throws right before the end of the first quarter, cutting the Pirates' advantage to 15-11. Dykman finished with 11 points, including three three-point buckets.

Kirbie scored 10 points in the second quarter, starting with a nice up-and-under post move to go up 17-11, and then Dykman nailed consecutive three-pointers, the last at the 2:52 mark, and Crandall held a comfortable 25-15 lead before halftime.

"The main thing was (Crandall) made their shots and we didn't," said Bullard head coach Scott Chambless. "I felt both teams got open shots, both offenses were good. They just converted on theirs and we didn't. They made everything, we missed everything."

Bullard was led by Howard's eight points, four rebounds and two steals. Scott Lowrie added six points and four boards.

Crandall senior Ryan Long had 12 points, all in the second half. Backup point guard Raymond Baty chipped in with five rebounds and three assists.

Both teams hit the hardwood again on Tuesday, when Bullard travels to Pine Tree and Crandall hosts Seagoville.

---

Tyler T.K. Gorman Tops Pine Tree 56-43 for Consolation

Tyler T.K. Gorman earned the consolation title at the Great East Texas Shootout with a 56-43 win against Pine Tree on Saturday.

Caleb Chumley led the Pirates with 12 points, while Mason Hays scored seven points. Robert Hines added six points. Trever Barker and Garrett Rayburn scored five apiece.

Earlier in the day, Pine Tree beat Tyler Grace 56-49 behind Rayburn's 16 points and Chumley's 12. Hays added 10, while Barker and Victor Hawkins scored seven and six, respectively. Hines chipped in with five points.

---

Great East Texas Shootout

At Brownsboro
Thursday-Saturday

BOYS BRACKET
Thursday's Games
Game 1 -- Bullard 61, Tyler Grace 60
Game 2 -- Crandall 70, Tyler All Saints 57
Game 3 -- Sunnyvale 43, Van 29
Game 4 -- Chapel Hill 68, Quinlan Ford 65
Game 5 -- Brownsboro 66, Kemp 37
Game 6 -- Gladewater 52, Tyler T.K. Gorman 47
Game 7 -- Troup, bye
Game 8 -- Center 46, Pine Tree 40
Game 9 -- Crandall 57, Chapel Hill 49
Game 10 -- Sunnyvale 51, Gladewater 37
Game 11 -- Troup 61, Sanger 56
Game 12 -- Brownsboro 44, Center 21
Friday's Games
Game 13 -- Tyler Grace, bye
Game 14 -- Van 59, Tyler T.K. Gorman 43
Game 15 -- Pine Tree 45, Kemp 37
Game 16 -- Quinlan Ford 41, Tyler All Saints 38
Game 17 -- Gladewater 67, Chapel Hill 52
Game 18 -- Bullard 44, Troup 41
Game 19 -- Tyler All Saints 62, Van 36
Game 20 -- Kemp, bye
Game 21 -- Tyler Grace 49, Sanger 37
Game 22 -- Tyler T.K. Gorman 67, Quinlan Ford 62
Game 23 -- Crandall 35, Sunnyvale 32
Game 24 -- Troup 58, Center 47
Game 25 -- Bullard 50, Brownsboro 34
Saturday's Games
Game 26 -- Pine Tree 56, Tyler Grace 49
Game 27 -- Tyler All Saints 54, Sanger 52
Game 28 -- Gladewater 61, Troup 56
Game 29 -- Tyler All Saints 55, Kemp 39
Game 30 (Consolation) -- Tyler T.K. Gorman 56, Pine Tree 43
Game 31 (Third-Place) -- Brownsboro 43, Sunnyvale 31
Game 32 (Championship) -- Crandall 71, Bullard 34