PREVIEW: Tatum Tangles With Ponder, Hoping to Capture First-Ever Basketball State Title
UIL Boys State Basketball Tournament
Class 2A State Championship Game
Tatum (35-4) vs. Ponder (31-7)
- When: 1:30 p.m. Saturday
- Where: Frank Erwin Center, Austin
Road to Austin
Tatum
- Bi-district: def. Frankston, 94-59
- Area: def. Newton, 70-43
- Regional quarterfinal: def. Nacogdoches Central Heights, 56-54
- Regional semifinal: def. Marlin, 79-29
- Regional championship: def. Kountze, 84-82 (OT)
- State semifinal: def. Bushland, 58-41
Ponder
- Bi-district: def. Rio Vista, 81-36
- Area: def. Van Alstyne, 73-70
- Regional quarterfinal: def. Millsap, 65-43
- Regional semifinal: def. New Boston, 68-57
- Regional championship: def. Brock, 50-48
- State semifinal: def. Aransas Pass, 51-47
Players to watch
Tatum
- Chaston Brooks, G, Jr., 6-1 -- 15 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals vs. Bushland in semifinals)
- Klifton Willis, G, Sr., 6-1 -- 9 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals vs. Bushland in semifinals)
- Robbie Rockwell, G, Sr., 6-0 -- 10 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal vs. Bushland in semifinals)
Ponder
- Chase Harris, G, Fr., 5-10 -- 20 points, 7 rebounds vs. Aransas Pass in semifinals
- Clay Morgan, F/C, Sr., 6-6 -- 15 points, 11 rebounds, 3 blocks vs. Aransas Pass in semifinals
- Josh Peterson, C, Sr., 6-6 -- 13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 assists vs. Aransas Pass in semifnals
Quoteworthy
- Tatum coach Brett Carr on Ponder: "I fully expect it to be a war. I know their kids and (head coach Jude Stanley) and I have known each other for a number of years. I thought if we had a shot at making it here that was probably the team we were going to have a shot to play. Our kids know their kids a little bit, they played each other during the summer. They're very strong underneath and it's going to be a huge challenge for us."
- Carr on keys to victory: "We're going to attack them with 13 guys. Their big guys are so dominant inside and we'll have to do a great job of defending them and do a great job of keeping them off the boards. And our guards are going to have to do a great job of getting rebounds like we did (in the semifinals)."