Kilgore Holds Off Whitehouse To Claim Diamond Bracket Championship Of Wagstaff Holiday Classic

TYLER -- The Kilgore Bulldogs allowed a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter shrink to a point, but found a way to fight off Whitehouse, 48-47, Wednesday in the Diamond Bracket championship game of the Wagstaff Holiday Classic.

Kilgore (7-7), which dropped its tourney opener to Liberty-Eylau on Monday, finished the three-day event strong with consecutive victories. Whitehouse (10-10) suffered two losses in its three games in Tyler.

Xaviar Gaona's two free throws gave Kilgore a 48-45 lead with 19.5 seconds remaining, but Whitehouse was afforded one more opportunity to even the game. Trent Williams' desperation 3-point attempt failed to draw iron, and teammate Javier Neal's putback as time expired accounted for the Wildcats' one-point margin of defeat.

Kilgore played with only six players for the duration of the game because of injuries and unforeseen absences. But the trio of Nick Orange, Gaona and Trey Conrod were good enough to help the Bulldogs escape with victory.

Orange finished with 20 points, six rebounds, three steals and three blocks. Gaona added 15 points, six boards, three steals and two blocks, while Conrod had nine points, five rebounds and four assists.

Ryan Walls led Whitehouse in defeat with 12 points and seven rebounds, while Williams added nine points, seven boards and three steals.

Kilgore built its biggest lead of the game when Gaona assisted on Orange's two-handed dunk for a 43-33 Bulldogs advantage with 3:37 remaining in the fourth.

But Whitehouse quickly chipped away at the deficit with 3's on consecutive possessions from Walls and Bryce Hand, a Neal driving layup, and back-to-back buckets from post Isiah Clark, which cut Kilgore's lead to 46-45 with 37 seconds remaining.

Kilgore returns to action Friday at home against Tyler All Saints, while Whitehouse begins District 16-5A play Tuesday night at John Tyler.

Kilgore 48, Whitehouse 47

Wagstaff Holiday Classic
Diamond Bracket Championship

At Wagstaff Gymnasium, Tyler

Whitehouse           6    12    13    16    --    47
Kilgore                 12    10    13    13    --    48
WHITEHOUSE (10-10) -- Ryan Walls, 12; Trent Williams, 9; Isiah Clark, 6; Dominique Hollie, 5; Landry Mayo, 5; Javier Neal, 5; Bryce Hand, 3; Ashton Melton, 2.
KILGORE (7-7) -- Nick Orange, 20; Xaviar Gaona, 15; Trey Conrod, 9; Terrence Banks, 4.
THREE-POINT GOALS -- Whitehouse: Walls (2), Hand, Mayo, Williams. Kilgore: Gaona.

---

Wagstaff Holiday Classic

Monday-Wednesday
At Tyler JC’s Wagstaff Gymnasium

MONDAY’S RESULTS

• Game 1 — Van 65, Tyler King’s Academy 29
• Game 2 — Brownsboro 83, Athens 82 (OT)
• Game 3 — Bullard 50, Tyler Bishop Gorman 42
• Game 4 — Chapel Hill 57, Tyler Grace 54
• Game 5 — Liberty-Eylau 58, Kilgore 44
• Game 6 — Tyler All Saints 72, Palestine 57
• Game 7 — Lindale 61, Bullard Brook Hill 57
• Game 8 — Tyler Lee 68, Whitehouse 45

TUESDAY’S RESULTS

• Game 9 (Apache Bracket) — Brownsboro 64, Bullard 35
• Game 10 (Apache Bracket) — Tyler Grace 56, Tyler King’s Academy 38
• Game 11 (Gold Bracket) — Chapel Hill 52, Tyler Bishop Gorman 36
• Game 12 (Gold Bracket) — Athens 61, Van 55
• Game 13 (Diamond Bracket) — Kilgore 71, Bullard Brook Hill 57
• Game 14 (Diamond Bracket) — Whitehouse 68, Palestine 55
• Game 15 (Platinum Bracket) — Tyler Lee 58, Liberty-Eylau 48
• Game 16 (Platinum Bracket) — Tyler All Saints 54, Lindale 43

WEDNESDAY’S RESULTS

• Game 17 (Apache Bracket consolation) — Bullard 50, Tyler King’s Academy 30
• Game 18 (Gold Bracket consolation) — Van 60, Tyler Bishop Gorman 33
• Game 19 (Diamond Bracket consolation) — Bullard Brook Hill 56, Palestine 53
• Game 20 (Platinum Bracket consolation) — Lindale 45, Liberty-Eylau 37
• Game 21 (Apache Bracket championship) — Brownsboro 56, Tyler Grace 42
• Game 22 (Gold Bracket championship) — Athens 71, Chapel Hill 48
• Game 23 (Diamond Bracket championship) — Kilgore 48, Whitehouse 47
• Game 24 (Platinum Bracket championship) — Tyler Lee 41, Tyler All Saints 38 (2OT)