BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS | Kilgore’s season ends; Sabine boys, Tatum girls continue on

Kilgore High School’s boys basketball team put up a good fight, but came up short in their University Interscholastic League bi-district round game against Palestine Tuesday night in Cushing.

Sabine’s boys made it through unscathed in theirs, handling Arp by 33, 66-39.

And the night before, on Monday, Tatum’s Lady Eagles held off Queen City, 66-63, on Tatum’s own home court, and now they’ll be headed to regionals in Prosper this weekend.

Palestine 47, Kilgore 42: At Cushing High, coach Jeff Coleman’s Bulldogs and the Palestine Wildcats both had problems with turnovers early and it remained close throughout the first half, with the Wildcats taking a three-point edge into the locker room (20-17) after a low-scoring half.

Kilgore senior post player Braydon Nelson got into foul trouble, though, dealing with three fouls, and sat the entire third quarter. Nelson had 10 points in the first half (of Kilgore’s 17) and the Bulldogs tried to keep within striking distance until Nelson could get back in.

Palestine came out firing in the second half, and went up by nine (26-17). But the Wildcats went cold with 5:37 left in the third, going over 4 1/2 minutes before scoring another point. By that time, Kilgore’s Jayden Sanders, Eric Armstrong, Cooper Shipman and Javon Towns had bulled KHS back into the game – and a three-pointer by Towns with 47 seconds left in the third tied the game at 28-all and brought the Kilgore crowd to its feet.

K’Mari Gipson, though, drained a long three, from almost half-court, as the buzzer sounded to end the third quarter, and put the Wildcats back up 33-29 going into the fourth.

Nelson finally got back into the game with 6:41 left, and while Kilgore did keep it close, the Bulldogs just couldn’t re-take the lead, and Palestine was able to hold them off for the win. Sanders hit a three-pointer right before the buzzer for the final score of the game.

Nelson finished with 12 points, four rebounds and a steal. Sanders had eight points, three rebounds and three steals. Towns had seven, three rebounds (one while lying on his back), two assists, and a blocked shot.

Also for Kilgore, Shipman had five points and two rebounds; Mikel Dennis had four points, six rebounds and two steals; Armstrong and Dee Sanders each had three points – Armstrong had seven rebounds; and Donovan Rider had a steal.

For Palestine, Gipson had 20 points, six rebounds, three steals and an assist, and Gerrle Abrams had 17 points, nine rebounds, two steals and a block.

Kilgore finishes its season 12-13.

Sabine 66, Arp 39: Coach Colby Carr’s team led 21-11 at halftime and never looked back, as Arp went into a hole early, scoring only four first-quarter points.

Hudson McNatt, who was a two-time Whataburger/ ETBlitz.com Boys Player of the Week during the regular season, led the Cardinals with 24 points. Clayne Simmons and Colt Sparks each had 13.

Sabine’s record is now 24-9, and they’ll play Winnsboro in the area, or second, round – coach Carr said he’ll be negotiating on Wednesday and as soon as details are made public, they’ll be released here on ETBlitz.com.

Tatum 66, Queen City, 63 (Monday): Coach Patricia Nelson’s Lady Eagles ran their record to 30-1 on the season with a second-round playoff win at home over Queen City, and now they’re headed to the regional tournament in Prosper that begins on Friday.

Aundrea Bradley led Tatum with 22 points. Teammate Kaleigh Hooker had 20. Kamden Scott had 13, and Katelyn Jacobs had six.

Tatum will play Emory Rains (34-2) in the regional semifinals at Ponder at 6 p.m. on Friday.