Michael Harris + Julius Hill Power Chapel Hill to 42-39 Victory Over Kilgore

NEW CHAPEL HILL -- Kilgore successfully slowed the pace from the start against Chapel Hill, but the the home team's big man wouldn't let the visitors leave with a win.

Chapel Hill post Michael Harris scored 13 second-half points and had a big final minute, making crucial plays on both ends of the floor to help Chapel Hill secure a 42-39 District 16-3A basketball victory at Bulldog Gym on Friday.

Harris, a 6-foot-6 senior, had a key shot block to thwart a Kilgore scoring opportunity in the final minute, then converted inside on a three-point play off an inbounds pass for a 41-37 lead with 14.9 seconds remaining. He also split a pair of free throws in the closing seconds to finish with a game-high 19 points on 7-for-8 field-goal shooting and eight rebounds.

"Michael played very well, especially there late in the game," said Chapel Hill coach Robert Sampson. "We told him on the inbounds play if it's there, go for it, and he did. He might have started a little slow in the first quarter or first half, but he was big in the second half."

Chapel Hill guard Julius Hill also heated up after a slow start, hitting five of his final six shot attempts to finish with 13 points, three assists, and three steals.

Chapel Hill (15-7, 5-0) outscored Kilgore 16-11 in the second quarter for a 20-16 halftime lead, then stretched that lead to nine points three different times in the third quarter. Harris' bucket inside gave Chapel Hill a 31-22 advantage with about two minutes left in the third, then Kilgore staged a run that kept the Bulldogs from Gregg County in the game for the remainder of the contest.

Kilgore (5-13, 2-2) closed the third on a 7-0 run to narrow the deficit to 31-29 entering the fourth before tying the game 33-33 on Alvin Davis' spinning floater in the lane with 6 1/2 minutes remaining. Chapel Hill answered with the next five points, including Hill's three-point play with 5:30 left for a 38-33 lead.

Kilgore again cut the Chapel Hill lead to one point, 38-37, on Hector Peralez' putbuck with 55.2 second to play. Chapel Hill turned the ball over on the ensuing possession, but Kilgore missed two free throws that would have given KHS the lead with 46 seconds remaining.

Kilgore turned the ball over on a travel along the baseline with 25.7 seconds. Then came Harris' game-sealing three-point play off the inbounds about 10 seconds later.

Trey Conrod led Kilgore with nine points, six rebounds, and two blocks, while Alvin Davis scored eight points. Kevrin Justice scored seven first-half points. Peralez had seven points, six of which came in the second half, and six rebounds.

Kilgore led 5-4 after a slow-tempoed first quarter thanks to KHS' pace-dictating strategy.

"We knew they were going to spread us out and slow it down a little, but I don't know if we thought they would that much," Sampson said. "They're a good team. (Kilgore coach Jeff Coleman) has done a great job turning their program around."

Chapel Hill held Kilgore to 32.7 percent shooting (16-for-49). Kilgore didn't help itself at the free-throw line, where it shot 46.1 percent (6-for-13). Chapel Hill wasn't a lot better, making 38.4 percent (15-for-39) of its field-goal attempts and 52.4 percent (11-for-21) of its free-throw tries.

Chapel Hill won the rebounding battle 29-25, but Kilgore had a 13-7 offensive rebounding advantage.

Chapel Hill visits Gladewater on Tuesday, while Kilgore hosts Henderson.

Chapel Hill Girls Hold Off Kilgore, 55-47

Kilgore stormed back from a 10-point third-quarter deficit, but Chapel Hill answered when it had to in a 55-47 District 16-3A victory at Bulldog Gym on Friday.

Kilgore, which trailed 27-19 at halftime and by as many as 10 points in the third quarter, clawed back into the game, narrowing Chapel Hill's lead to 45-44 early in the fourth quarter. Chapel Hill responded, finishing the game on a 10-3 run to improve to 16-6 overall and 4-2 in 16-3A play.

Kilgore's Toni Burks scored a game-high 28 points. D'Errica Campbell scored 19 points to lead Chapel Hill, which got 11 points from Shay Ross and 10 points from Dakota Hauk, who hit two three-pointers.

Chapel Hill's Brandi Goldthourpe joined Kilgore's Annie Mehringer and Destini Rossum with seven points apiece. Chapel Hill's Dai-jashnae Maddox had six points.

Chapel Hill visits Gladewater on Tuesday, while Kilgore hosts Henderson.

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District 16-3A
Boys Basketball

Chapel Hill 42, Kilgore 39

Bulldog Gym, New Chapel Hill

Kilgore -- 5 11 13 10 -- 39
Chapel Hill - 4 16 11 11 -- 42

Kilgore (5-13, 2-2) -- Trey Conrod 9, Alvin Davis 8, Kevrin Justice 7, Hector Peralez 7, Caleb Thomas 6, Xaviar Gaona 2.
Chapel Hill (15-7, 5-0) -- Michael Harris 19, Julius Hill 13,  Jerod Michem 3, Jeffery Minor 3, Keilon Moore 2, Kavondre Wallace 2.