Sports
Tigers boys basketball team loses 4 games during break
Monday, 14 January 2013 by Tony Adams
Belton’s Juwan Haggins (3) and Thomas Barnes (5) block a shot against Copperas Cove in a game earlier in the season. The Tigers participated in the Leander ISD Christmas Classic during the break.CEDAR PARK —The Belton boys basketball team ran into four teams in the middle of hot streaks immediately after Christmas.
The Tigers dropped two games Friday at the Leander ISD Christmas Classic, losing to Cedar Park Vista Ridge 63-46 and Georgetown 66-38. On Saturday, they lost to Round Rock Stony Point 54-46 and dropped a three overtime thriller to Houston Cypress Creek 84-81.
In the opener, the Tigers were in the game early. Following a Ranger three-pointer, Andre Ewing put Belton on the board with offensive rebound and basket. Thomas Barnes hit a three pointer to put the Tigers in lead 5-3 just 2:32 in. After the Rangers took the lead back briefly, Coby Potvin nailed a three-point basket and Justin McGowan laid up an offensive rebound give the Tigers a four-point lead. However, Vista Ridge battled back and tied the game at 12-12 with five seconds left in the quarter.
After the Rangers opened the second quarter with a basket, Ewing, Daniel Mills and Braden Hammond sparked a Tigers 10-2, three minute run. Up 22-16 with 2:31 to go and the Tigers holding Vista Ridge out of the field goal column for half of the second quarter, things were looking up.
And then the proverbial bottom fell out. As the Tigers were in free fall, the Rangers couldn't miss a shot. The Rangers went on 12-0 over the final 2:31 and Vista Ridge took a 28-22 lead into their locker room
After Vista Ridge drained a three-pointer to open the third quarter, Ewing and Potvin ended the Ranger 15-0 run with consecutive baskets to draw the Tigers to within four points, at 31-27. But that's the closest that the Rangers would see Belton in the rearview mirror, as they closed out the quarter on a 16-7 dash and opened up a 13 point lead at 47-34.
The Tigers and Rangers constantly traded baskets throughout the fourth quarter, but Belton was outscored 16-12 for the quarter and subsequently led to the 17-point defeat.
Daniel Jackson led all scorers with 21 points for Vista Ridge. Bradley Piper had 14 points and Logan Sneed chipped in 12 for the Rangers. Collectively, Vista Ridge hit 13 three-point baskets.
Ewing and Juwan Haggins had seven points for Belton. Potvin and McGowan had six points each for the Tigers.
In the nightcap, the Tigers were down early to the Georgetown Eagles (15-4). Opening up an 18-5 lead after the first quarter, the Eagles coasted through the second quarter and went into halftime with a 34-15 lead. Belton clawed back, outscoring Georgetown 18-12 in the third quarter, narrowing the deficit 46-33. But a 20-5 fourth quarter run put the game out of reach for the Tigers.
Jean-luc Parker scored 16 points for the Eagles. Jacob Vick had 14 points and D'Andre Day added nine points for Georgetown.
Thomas Barnes led the Tigers scoring with 11 points. Daniel Mills and Braden Hammond each nine points in the loss.
The Tigers opened the day Saturday with Stony Point. Belton got the best of Stony Point in the first quarter, but trailed 26-21 at the half. Stony Point and Belton traded baskets in third quarter, as Big Red trailed 41-39 at the end of three. But Stony Point's pressure was simply too much for Belton, as Big Red was defeated by eight points in the end.
Jacob Gullet had 15 points for Stony Point.
Mills bounced back after a tough first day with 12 points. Hammond had nine points and Ewing scored eight for Belton.
The Tigers closed the tournament with a triple overtime game against Houston Cypress Creek.
Belton hammed Cy-Creek to the tune of 18-12 and 19-12 over the first two quarters to give the Tigers a 37-24 edge at the halftime break. The Cougars stormed back to push the game into overtime. Belton and Cy-Creek would battle through three overtimes before the Cougars topped the Tigers 84-81.
Philip Thomas had 18 points for Cy-Creek. Max McKenty, Mario Stevens and Taylor Abel all had 11 points for the Cougars.
Daniel Mills scored 25 points for the Tigers. Thomas Barnes chipped in 21 for Belton
The Tigers (7-12, 2-0) will next be in action Friday night in Killeen, returning to District 8-5A action.
