HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL ROUNDUP | Kilgore, Henderson split 17-4A battles

Maybe it’s true that the only good split really is a banana split.

Rivals Kilgore High School and Henderson High School shared the same court here at KHS on Tuesday night, getting back into District 17-4A play after a couple of weeks off.

The first result went Henderson’s way, as the Lady Lions got out of Kilgore with a 53-41 win.

The Bulldogs won the boys game, though, dealing the struggling Lions a 39-29 defeat.

Both KHS teams are off on Friday, the district’s built-in bye, or open date, and will be back in action Tuesday night at Carthage, both boys and girls. Subvarsity games start at 5 p.m.

Kilgore’s Lady Bulldogs, coached by Marissa Coop, were back-and-forth with Henderson for the entire game, trailing by one after the first period and by two at halftime. The Lady Lions outscored Kilgore by 12 in the second half to get the victory.

Henderson’s girls are off to a good start in 17-4A: wins over Spring Hill and Kilgore, with a loss to Gilmer (they’re obviously 2-1). The Lady Lions host Carthage on Friday, starting with subvarsity at 5:30.

Kilgore, though, has struggled, in part due to being banged up. The Lady Bulldogs are in an 0-4 hole in district play. Remember: in Texas high school team sports, the top four teams in each district make the playoffs. There are seven teams in Kilgore’s district (that’s boys and girls, by the way): Kilgore, Henderson, Chapel Hill, Spring Hill, Gilmer, Carthage, and Center. The Lady ‘Dogs have losses to Chapel Hill (on the road), Spring Hill (at home), Gilmer (on the road) and now Henderson (at home).

In the loss to Henderson on Tuesday night, Auniyeuh Matlock led the way for KHS with 13 points. Maggie Quine had nine, and Makaylah Jackson had eight. Phenix Rivers had four and Kassidy Oliver had three.

Henderson’s Kyeisha Clater had 23 points to lead all scorers. Anya Jackson had 18 points.

Kilgore’s boys, coached by the venerable Jeff Coleman, had two players in double figures – Eric Armstrong and Braydon Nelson – as the Bulldogs beat Henderson to go 2-0 in district play (boys district schedules typically start a little later than girls, hence the difference).

The Bulldogs went 2-3 in the 13th annual Farmers Bank & Trust Paris Holiday Basketball Tournament late last week. Kilgore was actually in the first tournament, back in 2010.

The Bulldogs lost to Burleson, 50-38; beat Canton, 54-44; lost to host-team Paris, 59-55; beat Sam Rayburn, 63-55; and then lost to Honey Grove in their last game of the event.

Armstrong led the Bulldogs in their contest against Henderson with 11 points, and Nelson had 10.

The Lions dropped to 0-2 with the loss. Like the girls, they’ll also host Carthage on Friday.

Elsewhere around the area, in games from Monday or Tuesday nights that we only have scores for, but not reports: West Rusk’s Lady Raiders went on the road for a big win, 66-36, at Arp; Overton’s boys were at home Tuesday night and defeated Alto, 54-46; Tatum’s Eagles got a 82-53 win at home against Elysian Fields; White Oak’s girls lost at home to Spring Hill, 55-18; Gladewater’s Lady Bears beat Beckville, 70-54; and Troup’s girls lost at home to the Tyler H.E.A.T., 53-45.

Hooks 78, Sabine 43 (boys): Clayne Simmons led coach Colby Carr’s Sabine Cardinals with 11 points, but Hooks was just too much in this road game for Sabine on Tuesday night, in fact getting by the Sabine girls, as well (see below).

Dalton Taylor and Hudson McNatt each had eight for Sabine, who is back on the road Friday for a trip to Maud, beginning with JV at 6. Sabine is off on Tuesday, then opens District 15-3A play on Friday, Jan. 12 at White Oak.

Sabine girls: The Lady Cardinals, coached by Sara Cantrell, had a split of their own in the last few days, getting by San Augustine, 39-37, but then losing at Hooks on Tuesday, 61-16.

In the win over San Augustine, Bailey Pierce, Maddy Pierce and Caitlyn Stewart each scored eight. Kaitlynn Sanchez was right behind with seven. Sarah Roberts had three, Landry Griffith and Autumn Rhodes each had two and Kylee Longhofer had a point.

It was bad news at state-ranked Hooks, though, as the Lady Hornets raced out to a huge halftime lead and then finished with a 61-16 win over Sabine.

Bailey Pierce led Sabine with seven points. Maddy Pierce had five.  Stewart had two and Rhodes had two.

Sabine’s girls play a district game at Daingerfield on Friday, beginning at 6 p.m.

Troup 40, All-Saints 30 (boys): Troup’s Tigers wrapped up their non-district schedule on Tuesday night with a home win against All-Saints.

The Tigers hit the road for the District 16-3A opener on Friday: they’ll be at Elysian Fields, starting with junior varsity at 5.

In the win over All-Saints, Trae Davis had 12 for Troup. Caden Graves had eight. Shane Jasper had six. Carter Graves had five, Jarrett Castillo four, Bryce McElroy, three and Keenen Foster had two.

All-Saints was led by Caz Franks, who had nine.

Tatum 77, Elysian Fields 10 (girls): Yes, you read the score right.

The Lady Eagles, ranked fourth in the state in 3A in the Texas Girls Coaches Association poll, clamped down defensively on Elysian Fields and cruised to a 67-point win.

Kaleigh Hooker had 12 points for Tatum, and Kamdyn Scott matched her. Katelyn Jacobs had 11. Jade Moore-Simon had eight.

Kilgore’s Javon Towns (left) tries to put up a shot against Henderson on Tuesday night, at home. The Bulldogs defeated Henderson in a low-scoring game, 39-29, but Henderson did get a win, as the Lady Lions beat Kilgore’s girls, 53-41. (Photo by DENNIS JACOBS)