MBB: Lee surges past 'Riders, 59-43
lane between two Robert E. Lee players and puts up a shot during
Tuesday's first round of the Suddenlink Dragon Classic basketball
tournament in Nacogdoches. The 'Riders lost the game, 59-43. (Photo
by John Krueger)
NACOGDOCHES, Tx -- Trailing Class 4A Robert E. Lee by five at the half, the Center Roughriders were in prime position to pull off an a big win in the opening round of the Suddenlink Dragon Classic here in Dragon Coliseum. But the Red Raiders exploded for 23 third-quarter points, scoring 14 in the paint, while committing just two turnovers to race to a 59-43 win over the 'Riders.
Center then took on Pflugerville Hendrickson in the late game Tuesday night, falling by 59-44 count for the Roughriders' fourth straight loss.
The Roughriders (3-12) will complete pool action Wednesday morning, taking on Galveston Ball at 10:30 a.m. The tournament then went on to bracket play Wednesday afternoon and again on Thursday.
Neither team got off to a productive start in the opening stanza as the teams combined for 11 points, 11 turnovers and no points scored off those miscues.
But Center used a patient offensive attack in the second eight-minute period as the 'Riders canned 9-of-11 free throws and committed just three turnovers to keep the game close at the break, trailing, 24-19.
Lee kept the lead at the half despite suffering through seven turnovers in the period. And despite not converting any Center turnovers into points in the first two quarters, the Raiders held the lead as the teams headed to the locker rooms.
The Roughriders have struggled this season putting four consistent quarters of production together, and they had to the same problem in the tourney opener as their defense suffered in the third quarter. The Red Raiders got into the offensive flow of the game, while the 'Riders struggled, scoring just 15 points, committing six turnovers and recording no fast-break points.
"We're still struggling putting a solid effort together," said Center head coach Hiram Harrison. "We were coming off almost a week without practice or a game and I thought we came out pretty well, considering, in the first half. But we let our intensity get away from us in the third quarter and they took advantage of it."
After trailing by as much as 10 (17-7) in the second quarter, Center went on a 7-0 run to cut the deficit back to 17-14 with 2:13 left in the half. The Roughriders cut it even further, pulling to within 20-19 on a pair of free throws by Jercarius Berry with 1:31 left in the half.
After a layup by Cameron Cloudy to begin the second half, the Red Raiders went on a 9-0 run over a span of 1:14 to build their lead back to 10, 33-23. The Red Raiders added a pair of 3-pointers midway through the quarter to help open up a 47-34 lead after three quarters.
The 'Riders needed a surge early in the final quarter, but it was the Red Raiders that got off to quick start, scoring 10 of the first 12 points in the period - all on layups - to stretch their lead to 57-36 with 3:25 left in the game. Lee then coasted from there.
Cloudy was the only CHS player in double figures, scoring 12 points. Berry added nine points, with eight of those coming in the middle two periods. Tony McCollister knocked down six points and Augustine Johnson, Jakiel Johnson and D.J. Bolton each pitched in four.