LONGVIEW — Pine Tree outscored Hallsville 17-8 in the second quarter to take a lead the Pirates maintained the remainder of the game in a 50-44 win over rival Hallsville on Tuesday at the Pirate Center.

Pine Tree junior Robert Hines had 14 points, six rebounds, and three steals, while Caleb Chumley chipped in with seven points, five rebounds, and two blocks. Hallsville's Nolan Faires scored a game-high 23 points to accompany four rebounds and two steals.

“The last two games we dug big holes for ourselves early and that was our entire focus, to start quick,” said Pine Tree coach Rick Dowdle. “However, we didn’t get off to a good start. We let them get up 7-0, but to their credit, my guys, two games in a row, have fought back from 15- and 16-point deficits to get back within five or six. We were just trying to avoid that hole early."

Hallsville went on a 7-0 run early in the first quarter to take a 13-6 lead over Pine Tree.  After a timeout, the Pirates came back to outscore the Bobcats 17-8 in the second quarter and gained a lead they never lost. Nine of Hines’ 14 points came in the second quarter to fuel the Pine Tree offense.

“I think once we started executing better and doing what we wanted to do, we got on a roll. We got good looks and Blake Adams stepped up on the elbow and I thought that was big for us,” Dowdle said. “We play Marshall in Marshall Friday so we need to be ready to run and be ready to rebound because they put up a lot of shots.”

Hallsville looked to come back on back-to-back three pointers by Faires and got within two points before Victor Hawkins sealed the deal for the Pirates with a 25-foot jumper. Hallsville's Cody Blankenship had 11 points and three steals.

Pine Tree travels to Marshall on Friday. Hallsville hosts to Sulphur Springs.

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