TYLER -- Lindale is one of many teams in East Texas still trying to find its identity before playing the remaining 11 games of a 12-game district schedule.

The program seems close, at least defensively. It held the Bullard Brook Hill Guard to eight first half points Wednesday in the Wagstaff Holiday Classic, including just two in the second quarter off a putback, and rode a 47-36 victory into the Diamond Bracket's championship game today at 7 p.m. against Marshall back on Tyler Junior College's campus.

"We're not going to outscore a lot of people," Lindale head coach Scott Albritton said. "Defense is what we have to really concentrate on in order to get better. If we do a good job defensively, we can usually score enough points to win."

Eagles guard Jordan Gray drives the lane for two of his 22 points in Wednesday's contest at the Wagstaff Holiday Classic.
Eagles guard Jordan Gray drives the lane for two of his 22 points in Wednesday's contest at the Wagstaff Holiday Classic.
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Like so many holiday tournament games after a considerable vacation break, the first quarter was nothing to write home about. Lindale shot 3-for-7, Brook Hill shot 3-for-8, and the two teams combined for a turnover per minute en route to a 6-6 score.

The best early performance came from Brook Hill forward Bryant Robinson. He bullied his way down low for four points.

Lindale took that aspect away after adjustments between quarters. It sat back in a 1-3-1 zone, then a 2-3 zone and generally coerced the Guard to settle for outside shots.

Brook Hill went 1-for-10 from the field in the second frame while the Eagles took a lead they never relinquished. Lindale's first five points of the pivotal quarter materialized on back-to-back steals from Jordan Gray and Gage Walters.

The second quarter ended in the form of an elongated 13-2 run and a 19-8 Lindale lead.

Gray, who makes an argument as the region's best shooter, only scored five points in the first half. Three other starters scored the remaining 14 points.

But Gray had recorded 22 points when it was all said and done, as Brook Hill sped up its movement in an effort to break down the opposing defense.

Fellow guard Laettner Greenhill recorded four steals through the game to headline the team's total of nine.

Junior center Kale Ridge recorded a team-best six defensive rebounds to help Lindale beat Brook Hill on the Eagles' own side of the floor by a 2:1 margin. Ridge had eight boards in total.

"I think the difference was, after it was real tight in the first quarter, besides us picking it up offensively, is that our defense really clamped down and did a good job," Albritton said. "It allowed us to get out in transition. That was another thing. We started pushing it in the second quarter and that allowed us to get a few easy baskets."

Joe Noble goes up for a layup in the Eagles 47-36 win Wednesday.
Joe Noble goes up for a layup in the Eagles 47-36 win Wednesday.
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Robinson guided Brook Hill with 13 points.

The Guard connected on three 3-pointers inside the final 1:30 to cut the Eagles' lead from 47-27 to its final score. A score which sends it to the noon Diamond Bracket consolation game against Palestine back at Wagstaff Gymnasium.

Marshall quietly watched from the stands. It waited out a Tyler Junior College game between its own 71-55 win against Palestine and Lindale's game to see who it would be putting its 15-0 record against.

Tiandre Jackson-Young, a 6-foot-5 senior post, will present the Eagles with new challenges.

"I know their post kid is about 6-foot-6 and real good," Albritton said. "He's real strong. But, if you sink inside against him, they've got six or seven shooters they can stand on the outside and knock down 3s. It's going to be big challenge for us to figure out how to stop their best player inside and also close out on the shooters."

Marshall could theoretically circle back to be the Eagles' first-round playoff opponent since the two teams play in adjacent districts.

But today's meeting is mostly about continuing progress for Lindale before resuming District 16-5A play with an 0-1 record.

"Being able to play a team like Marshall is going to do us good," Albritton said. "I mean, they've only lost one game in the last year and a half. They're definitely a playoff team. We've got a lot of athletic teams that we're going to be playing in our district. Playing an athletic team like Marshall, we can judge how good we are against the rest of our district."

Lindale 47, Brook Hill 36

2015 Wagstaff Holiday Classic
At Wagstaff Gymnasium, Tyler

Lindale           6     13    9   19    --    47
Brook Hill       6      2     4   24    --   36
LINDALE -- Jordan Gray 22, Tayton Williams 9, Laettner Greenhill 5, Blane Repinske 5, Terrell Cooper 2, Joe Noble 2, Kale Ridge 2.
BROOK HILL -- Bryant Robinson 13, Colton Adams 9, McCray Fletcher 7, Reid Hill 3, Ryan Cox 2, Parker Galbraith 2.
THREE-POINT GOALS -- Lindale: Gray (3), Repinske. Brook Hill: Adams, Fletcher, Hill.

Chris Williams drives the lane against New Summerfield in the Trojans' 55-49 victory Wednesday in the Wagstaff Holiday Classic.
Chris Williams drives the lane against New Summerfield in the Trojans' 55-49 victory Wednesday in the Wagstaff Holiday Classic.
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All Saints Holds Off New Summerfield

TYLER -- All Saints edged New Summerfield, 55-49, to earn its right to play in the Platinum Bracket championship game at the Wagstaff Holiday Classic.

Starters Sean Phillips and Chris Williams scored 13 and 12 points, respectively, and Logan Bradford came off the bench to contribute 11 points in the narrow win. The remaining roster added the other 19 points.

Hornets forward Case Wilkerson put up a game-best 21 points in defeat. Juan Mendoza scored 17 points. Together, they were 77.5 percent of the offense.

The Trojans built up a 22-9 lead midway through the second quarter, but Mendoza made it a 38-35 game inside the final two minutes of the third quarter with his third of four successful 3-point shots.

All Saints answered in the form of a 15-5 run through the next six minutes of play. Then the Trojans slowed their game down halfway through the fourth quarter and New Summerfield was held scoreless for a critical three-minute span.

Wilkerson scored on a 3-point shot with 30 seconds left to get the Hornets back within single digits and Mendoza scored from behind the arc once again just before the buzzer.

All Saints will take on Whitehouse for the Platinum Bracket crown today at 8:30 p.m. inside Wagstaff Gymnasium.

New Summerfield will play at 1:30 p.m. against Kilgore in the bracket's consolation final.

2015 Wagstaff Holiday Classic

Tuesday-Thursday
At Tyler Junior College’s Wagstaff Gymnasium

TUESDAY’S GAMES

  • Game 1 — Bullard Brook Hill 89, Troup 39
  • Game 2 — Chapel Hill 52, Tyler Bishop Gorman 47
  • Game 3 — Tyler Grace 54, Bullard 46
  • Game 4 — New Summerfield 50, Van 35
  • Game 5 — Tyler All Saints 67, Palestine 55
  • Game 6 — Marshall 71, Brownsboro 58
  • Game 7 — Lindale 65, Kilgore 22
  • Game 8 — Whitehouse 77, Athens 55

WEDNESDAY’S GAMES

  • Game 9 — Troup 46, Bullard 41
  • Game 10 — Van 42, Bishop Gorman 32
  • Game 11 — Brownsboro 66, Chapel Hill 54
  • Game 12 — Athens 72, Tyler Grace 45
  • Game 13 — Marshall 71, Palestine 55
  • Game 14 — Lindale 47, Brook Hill 36
  • Game 15 — Tyler All Saints 55, New Summerfield 49
  • Game 16 — Whitehouse 61, Kilgore 38

THURSDAY’S GAMES

  • Game 17 (Apache Bracket consolation) — Bishop Gorman vs. Bullard, 9 a.m.
  • Game 18 (Gold Bracket consolation) — Chapel Hill vs. Tyler Grace,10:30 a.m.
  • Game 19 (Diamond Bracket consolation) — Bullard Brook Hill vs. Tyler Grace, noon
  • Game 20 (Platinum Bracket consolation) — Kilgore vs. New Summerfield, 1:30 p.m.
  • Game 21 (Apache Bracket championship) — Troup vs. Van, 3 p.m.
  • Game 22 (Gold Bracket championship) — Athens vs. Brownsboro, 5:30 p.m.
  • Game 23 (Diamond Bracket championship) — Lindale vs. Marshall, 7 p.m.
  • Game 24 (Platinum Bracket championship) — Tyler All Saints vs. Whitehouse, 8:30 p.m.
Tayton Williams goes up for two against Brook Hill forward Bryant Robinson.
Tayton Williams goes up for two against Brook Hill forward Bryant Robinson.
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