WASKOM -- In a battle for second place in District 17-2A, it was the Waskom Wildcats who laid claim to that spot.

Behind Kevin Johnson's game-high 17 points, Waskom defeated White Oak 44-32 at Wildcats Gymnasium on Friday.

Waskom (8-1 in district) moved into sole possession of second in 17-2A, one game behind No. 5 Tatum. White Oak (5-3 in district) remained in third place, one game ahead of Union Grove.

Johnson added eight rebounds and two steals, while Mike Reason notched nine points -- 3-for-3 from behind the arc -- along with five boards and two steals. Nigel Brown and Kaleb Haynes combined for 10 points and nine rebounds. As a team, Waskom swiped 10 steals.

Leading by one heading into the fourth, Waskom exploded for 18 fourth-quarter points, spurred by a 12-3 run, which was highlighted by two Reason three-balls. During the spurt, White Oak's Hayden Nichols fouled out of the game on an offensive push-off with more than five minutes remaining. Nichols played in foul trouble most of the night.

Johnson hit Brown with a backdoor pass and layup. Then on the next possession, he followed it up with a blocked shot, rebound, and went the length of the floor to nail a pull-up jumper in the lane to give the Wildcats their biggest lead -- 40-28 -- late in the fourth.

White Oak was led by Jake Pullen's 11 points and six rebounds. Slade Sutton and Landry Sheridan combined for 11 points and six boards, while Gabe Michael pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds -- five offensive.

Waskom led, 11-5, after one thanks to six points and three offensive boards for Johnson and three team steals.

White Oak was uncharacteristically poor from the field, missing four layups in the first eight minutes of the game, and going just 11-for-22 from the free-throw line.

Waskom travels to Tatum next Tuesday, while White Oak plays host to Elysian Fields.

More From East Texas Sports Network