Kilgore Runs Away From Van For 59-27 First-Round Playoff Win

TYLER -- The Kilgore Bulldogs put together solid defensive performances in the first and fourth quarters and cruised to a 59-27 win over Van in their Class 3A Region II bi-district playoff Tuesday night at Wagstaff Gym.

Kilgore (23-7), which limited Van (11-15) to just two total points in the first and last periods, advanced to the area round of the playoffs where it will face Paris -- a 52-41 winner over Crandall -- later this week.

The Bulldogs outscored Van 13-0 in the first quarter, and after the Vandals trimmed the lead to 29-21 midway through the third, went on a 30-6 to put the game away. Trey Conrod, who finished with 12 points and five rebounds, put an exclamation to the big win with a one-handed flush in the middle of Kilgore's 14-0 fourth-quarter run.

Xavier Gaona led Kilgore with 14 points. He added two rebounds, two assists and two of the Bulldogs' seven blocks on the night. Clery Delmas had 10 points five boards and three blocks, Nick Orange added nine points, nine rebounds and three assists and Deon Kincade chipped in with eight points, three assists and two steals.

Van's offense was run almost entirely through Carson Rucker, who finished with a team-high 14 points and eight rebounds.

Back-to-back baskets by Rucker trimmed Van's deficit to eight points in the third quarter, but then Kilgore went on a scoring frenzy. The Bulldogs made 13 field goals the rest of the way, while holding Van to just three makes from the field over the game's final 11:37.

Kilgore 59, Van 27

Boys Class 3A Region II Bi-District Playoff

At Tyler Junior College's Wagstaff Gym

Kilgore               13   11   17   18   --   59
Van                     0   14   11     2   --   27
KILGORE (23-7) -- Xavier Gaona, 14; Trey Conrod, 12; Clery Delmas, 10; Nick Orange, 9; Deon Kincade, 8; Clayton Mauldin, 2; Stefun Tatum, 2; Victor Wallace, 2.
VAN (11-15) -- Carson Rucker, 14; Austin Heddin, 5; Tanner Koru, 3; Drew Boroughs, 2; Layton Myers, 2; Nick Wilkerson, 1.
THREE-POINT GOALS -- Kilgore: Conrod (2), Gaona, Kincade. Van: Heddin.