Whitehouse Boys Top Tyler Lee + LadyCats Down Longview

WHITEHOUSE -- Whitehouse staged a 14-3 second-half run, while Patrick Mahomes assembled a great all-around performance in the Wildcats' 44-33 win against Tyler Lee in Tuesday's non-district basketball game in front of a near capacity Wildcat Arena crowd.

Mahomes led Whitehouse (11-4) with 11 points, five rebounds, five assists, and three steals.

"Every possession is huge," said Whitehouse coach Ryan Tomlin. "Every possession counts. We beared down defensively, they missed some good looks, and we rebounded. That's huge for us. We are a little undersized, but my guys blocked out, and that's all you can ask."

The meeting was the second of the season between the growing rivals. Jake Parker hit a buzzer-beating shot to lift Whitehouse to a 48-46 win over Lee in the Lindale Hoop Heaven championship game Dec. 1.

Mahomes asserted himself in the second half Tuesday. He started with a bucket in the lane to tie the score at 18, then made a no-look pass to a cutting Jake Parker on the baseline for the layup.

Mahomes hit another soft jumper in the lane, and another layup by Parker pushed the Whitehouse lead to 24-21. Lee's Darrion Smallwood, who filled in admirably for the injured Caleb Johnston, picked Parker's pocket and went coast to coast for a layup that cut Whitehouse's lead to one point.

Then came Whitehouse's run.

Mahomes answered with a nice move to the hoop on the block. After a timeout, Mahomes inbounded the ball to Jaylon Dews, who came off a Spencer Shaw back screen for a layup and 28-23 Whitehouse lead entering the fourth.

Whitehouse kept its foot on the pedal when Mahomes opened the fourth with another drive to the bucket. Mahomes then dished to Ryan Cheatham for an uncontested layup, and Whitehouse held its biggest margin, 34-23.

Taylor Tankersley, who led Lee with 14 points, 11 rebounds, and three blocks, hit two free throws with 4:34 left to pull the Red Raiders within 10 points. On the next possession, Whitehouse went to its "four corners" offense to slow the pace and drain the clock. Tankersley's steal and three-point play off a layup cut Whitehouse's lead to 37-29 with 1:30 remaining, but Lee got no closer.

"Tonight, we just couldn't hit the side of a building," said Tyler Lee coach Alan Johnston. "I've seen teams go cold, but I've never seen a team go that cold for that long. We were getting quality shots, but missing three-, four-, and five-footers, then missing free throws by kids shooting 80 percent-plus this year. It was just one of those things that wasn't meant to be."

Whitehouse's Jaylon Dews had 12 points and three steals, while teammate Jake Parker added 10 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Lee's Justin Desalvo had four points and five boards. Lee was 3-for-11 from the charity stripe, while Whitehouse was 10-for-16.

Lee opens District 12-5A play at home Friday against Rockwall, while Whitehouse travels to Longview to face Pine Tree in a non-district matchup.

Morgan Tauscher, Kenslie Dews Lead Whitehouse Past Longview, 46-39

Whitehouse's Morgan Tauscher scored 12 points, while Kenslie Dews added 11 to lead the LadyCats to a 46-39 win over Longview on Tuesday at Wildcat Arena.

Victoria Taylor added nine points for Whitehouse (8-6). Ashton Ates had seven.

Kiara Ross led Longview (10-6) with a game-high 17 points. Mikayla Smith tallied eight points. Halee Brewer had five.

Whitehouse outscored Longview 15-11 in first quarter thanks to six points by Tauscher. The Wildcats led 22-20 at halftime despite the Lobos out-shooting them from the free throw line, 12-4.

When Ross hit a free throw with 4:45 left in the third, Longview had its first lead, 24-23. Whitehouse led 30-28 after three quarters thanks to a Dews three-pointer near in the end of the stanza.

Longview hosts Mesquite Horn in a District 12-5A contest Friday. Whitehouse's next game is in the Brownsboro tournament starting December 27.