Tatum’s Pressure Defense Fuels 74-51 Win Over New Boston at Tatum Holiday Hoopfest

TATUM -- When you forced 35 turnovers, it usually doesn't matter if you shoot 30.3 percent.

That was the case Thursday afternoon for Tatum, which pestered New Boston from start to  finish in a 74-51 victory in Eagle Coliseum at the 2012 Tatum Holiday Hoopfest.

Tatum (9-3), ranked seventh in the latest Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Class 2A poll, forced 12 first-quarter turnovers for a 17-9 advantage through one period. Tatum forced eight more in the second quarter to push its lead to 34-17 at halftime.

From there, New Boston never whittled the margin to single digits.

Javolick Garrett recorded six steals to lead Tatum's trademark high-pressure defensive effort. He also had 15 points. Robbie Rockwell hi 8 of 20 shot attempts, heating up after a cold start, to finish with a game-high 22 points. Cole Hughes had nine points and team-high 11 rebounds, while Donovan Centers had eight points. Casey Carr had a game-high four assists and also tallied three steals. Jahee Johnson contributed four points and six boards.

Tatum's 23-point victory margin was the largest deficit of the game for New Boston, which stayed within 15 points for more than five minutes of the fourth quarter before the Eagles hit two three-pointers in the final 28 seconds.

New Boston won the glass 47-36 thanks in part to Dale Roberts' six-point, 13-rebound effort. Jerical Hardeman led the Lions with 15 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore guard Taquain Dedmon had 13 points, Jeff Gladney had eight and Tyjae Clark added six points and seven rebounds.

Rockwell hit a pair of treys early in the second as part of an 11-0 record that put the Eagles up double digits for good with a 25-9 advantage. From the 1:12 mark of the second quarter to a minute and a half into the third, Tatum staged another run, pushing its lead from 28-17 to 41-21. Rockwell had 10 points in that run, punctuated by back-to-back three-pointers.

Tatum plays Marshall at 10:30 a.m. Friday in Eagle Coliseum in the Tatum Holiday Hoopfest. New Boston faces Woden at 10:30 in the high school gymnasium. Bracket play starts at 2 p.m.

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2012 Tatum Holiday Hoopfest

Tatum 74, New Boston 51

Eagle Coliseum, Tatum

Tatum -- 17 17 19 21 -- 74
New Boston -- 9 8 22 12 -- 51

Tatum (9-3) -- Robbie Rockwell 22, Javolick Garrett 15, Cole Hughes 9, Jaylen Shans 8, Devonte Alexander 5, Jacoby Lee 5, Kyshaun Smith 5, Jahee Johnson 4, Casey Carr 1.
New Boston -- Jerical Hardeman 15, Taquain Dedmon 13, Jeff Gladney 8, Dale Roberts 6, Tyjae Clark 6, Adrian Peterson 3.