Tuesday Basketball Roundup: Texas High Girls Jump Onto Playoff Bubble With Win Against Pine Tree + More

TEXARKANA -- Texas High hopped into a tie for fourth place in the late District 15-5A playoff race Tuesday with a 41-33 victory against Pine Tree.

It didn't come easy though. The Lady Tigers had to withstand a Lady Pirates' rally attempt in the fourth quarter to advance to a 6-6 record within the league.

Pine Tree trailed by 15 points early in the final frame and cut Texas High's lead down to five points before ultimately falling.

Grace Brooks led the Lady Tigers with 10 points. Taylor Morgan and Ambreenique Williams both scored a team-best six points for the Lady Pirates.

A second key in Texas High's move up the district standings was Longview's win against Marshall. Marshall entered the night in sole possession of fourth place, but Longview's win pushed its district record to 6-6.

Texas High will travel Friday to Longview. The squad will then close its regular season with a game against Marshall.

Pine Tree also will be on the road Friday to face Mount Pleasant.

Gilmer Edges Chapel Hill

NEW CHAPEL HILL -- Gilmer held onto its share of first place within District 16-4A by way of a 59-52 road win against Chapel Hill.

Destiny Brooks scored a game-best 15 points for the Lady Buckeyes. Belynda Ray and Ashlyn Ray also reached double digits with 12 points apiece.

Karlea Duhon and Mykaela Alfred led Chapel Hill. Both players scored 11 points.

Gilmer will host Gladewater on Friday and then close the regular season next week at Spring Hill. It beat both those teams during the first round of district competition.

If the Lady Buckeyes (7-1 in District 16-4A) win both games, they will tie Bullard for the district championship in a worst-case scenario.

Gilmer and Bullard split their season series, each winning on the other's court. A head-to-head district championship game next weekend would determine which team earns the league's No. 1 seed.

Chapel Hill (5-3 in the league) will host Bullard on Friday.

Bullard Tops Spring Hill

BULLARD -- The Lady Panthers expanded their winning streak to six games thanks to a 53-33 win against Spring Hill.

Bullard's win allowed it to maintain a share of the District 16-4A lead with Gilmer.

Senior forward Lexi Kirgan, an Abilene Christian signee, led the Lady Panters (7-1 in district play) with 18 points. Hannah Lloyd added another 16 points in the victory.

Bullard will visit Chapel Hill on Friday. Spring Hill simultaneously travels to Kilgore.

Mallori Shacklett Guides Winona Past Edgewood

WINONA -- Mallori Shacklett connected on six 3-point attempts for Winona in its 61-46 victory against Edgewood in District 14-3A action.

Shacklett finished the game with 20 points and 12 rebounds, a double-double, but two other Lady Wildcats reached double-digit scoring figures. Lexi Lacy chipped in 16 points and Daysha Hanson added 10.

Winona (17-8, 7-5) will host Mineola on Friday. Edgewood (5-18, 2-10) will host Quitman the same day.

Tyler Grace Pounds Brook Hill

BULLARD --  Tyler Grace Community pulled away from Bullard Brook Hill in the second quarter for a 63-30 win in TAPPS District 2-4A competition.

The Lady Cougars outscored the Guard 20-2 in the second period. That turned a four-point game at the end of the first quarter into a 35-13 lead at the intermission.

Addie Daughty led Grace (21-8. 6-2) with 23 points. She edged Parker Daughtry for the team lead by one point.

Brook Hill (11-13, 3-5) will be idle until the district tournament next week.

Grace finishes its regular season Friday with a home game against the Dallas Thunder, a state-ranked home school team.

Joaquin Downs Beckville

JOAQUIN -- The Lady Rams defeated Beckville, 50-27, in a District 22-2A game.

Hanna Bonner scored a team-best 15 points for Joaquin. Destiny Cooper followed, 13 points in the meeting.

Joaquin will travel to Shlebyville on Friday. Beckville also will be on the road against Timpson the same date.

Boys Basketball

Lufkin Gets By Whitehouse

WHITEHOUSE -- Lufkin's bench came up big in the Panthers' 63-52 road win at Whitehouse.

The Panthers didn't have the game's leading scorer in the District 16-5A meeting, but they countered Javier Neal's game-best 18 points plus Colby Duhon's 13 with six players that scored at least six points.

Jaylon Calvin scored 16 points for Lufkin (25-4, 8-1). Cameron Hart added another 11 to round out all scorers beyond 10 points.

Whitehouse (16-10, 3-5) will return to action Friday at Nacogdoches. Lufkin simultaneously hosts Corsicana.

Mineola's Bench Takes Down Harmony

MINEOLA -- The Yellowjackets benefitted from nine different scorers in a 74-50, District 14-3A victory against Harmony, including three players with 14 or more points.

Rapheal Ogueri put up 18 points for Mineola (16-5, 9-1). Cameron Sorenson and Trajan Johnson scored 14 points each in the meeting.

Jacob Kimmen scored a game-best 19 points from Harmony (12-12, 3-7). Bentley Miner scored 16 points and also recorded five blocks.

Mineola visits Winona on Friday. Harmony hosts Alba-Golden the same date.