TYLER -- The Whitehouse Wildcats weathered a third-quarter storm by finishing strong in a 63-59 victory over Houston Redemption Christian on Friday in a Gold Bracket semifinal at the Wagstaff Holiday Classic.

Whitehouse (13-3) will face Athens at 8:30 p.m. Saturday in the Gold Bracket championship game from Tyler Junior College's Wagstaff Gym.

The Wildcats relied on the hot shooting of Spencer Shaw, who poured in a season-high 30 points, which included five 3-pointers. Shaw picked up the slack for Whitehouse's leading scorer Patrick Mahomes, who has missed the last several games with an ankle injury but is expected back soon.

Whitehouse's Jaylon Dews works with the ball during the Wildcats' 63-59 win over Houston Redemption Christian at the Wagstaff Holiday Classic in Tyler on Friday. (Christopher R. Vinn, ETSN.fm)
Whitehouse's Jaylon Dews works with the ball during the Wildcats' 63-59 win over Houston Redemption Christian at the Wagstaff Holiday Classic in Tyler on Friday. (Christopher R. Vinn, ETSN.fm)
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Whitehouse built a 31-26 halftime lead, but Redemption Christian (14-9) began the second half on fire, going on a 15-2 run for a 41-33 lead midway through the third quarter.

Shaw drained a pair of 3-pointers after that to help Whitehouse tie the game at 45-45 entering the fourth, which was back-and-fourth down the stretch. Jacob Lundmark's runner gave Whitehouse a 58-54 lead with 2:04 remaining, but after a Juston Smith-Wells layup, Bijon Johnson connected on a 3-point shot that gave Redemption Christian a 59-58 lead with 1:17 remaining.

Lundmark found Shaw underneath the basket on Whitehouse's next possession, giving the Wildcats a 60-59 advantage with 54 seconds to go. A Bryce Hand free throw stretched the lead to two points with 20 seconds remaining, but Johnson missed the potential game-tying jumper with six seconds on the clock. Hand pulled down the rebound and passed to Jake Parker, who sank both free throws to seal the win.

Parker finished the game with 11 points, five rebounds, three assists and three steals, while Brady Hill added 10 points and four boards and Lundmark chipped in with five points, four assists and two steals for Whitehouse.

Smith-Wells led Redemption Christian with 19 points, three rebounds and three steals. Khadeem Lattin, a 6-10 post who has committed to Oklahoma, had 14 points, nine boards, three blocks and two assists, but fouled out with 2:28 to play. Johnson finished with 11 points in the losing effort.

Houston Redemption Christian's Troy James (right) works against Whitehouse's Jake Parker during their game Friday at the Wagstaff Holiday Classic in Tyler. (Christopher R. Vinn, ETSN.fm)
Houston Redemption Christian's Troy James (right) works against Whitehouse's Jake Parker during their game Friday at the Wagstaff Holiday Classic in Tyler. (Christopher R. Vinn, ETSN.fm)
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Whitehouse 63, Houston Redemption Christian 59

Wagstaff Holiday Classic

Gold Bracket Semifinal

At Tyler Junior College's Wagstaff Gym

Whitehouse                      14   17   14   18   --   63
Redemption Christian        10   16   19   14   --   59
WHITEHOUSE (13-3) -- Spencer Shaw, 30; Jake Parker, 11; Brady Hill, 10; Jacob Lundmark, 5; Jaylon Dews, 4; Bryce Hand, 3.
REDEMPTION CHRISTIAN (14-9) -- Juston Smith-Wells, 19; Khadeem Lattin, 14; Bijan Johnson, 11; Patrick Hawkins, 9; Troy James, 4; Malik Goode, 2.
THREE-POINT GOALS -- Whitehouse: Shaw (5), Lundmark. Redemption Christian: Hawkins, Johnson.

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