It’s been said practice makes perfect but sometimes there’s just no time for that.
Jacksboro’s boys basketball squad had its season opener Tuesday, Nov. 22 after barely two days to get to know each other, a new coach and system. After a slow start in the first half, the Tigers gave a partisan crowd at Jacksboro Middle School a taste of things to come with a big final two quarters in a 58-42 victory over the Mavericks.
Eastland falls to 2-1 with the setback. Jacksboro Mentor Steven Stegall said the start was kind of expected… and so was the second half.
“I knew we could win this one if we played the way we should,” Stegall noted. “Having to adjust to a new offense and new coach and the way I want to play. It just took some time to get rolling.”
Junior Lando Belcher had two buckets and a three-pointer to get the hosts out to a 9-4 lead barely three minutes into the contest. Eastland crawled its way back into the contest tying the game at 11 with 35 seconds to go in the first.
With both teams shooting reasonably well in the opening eight minutes (Jacksboro 6-15, Eastland 5-12), it was a last-minute three from Kaden Vaughan that gave the Purple a 14-11 lead after one.
Another Vaughan three doubled the lead to six in the opening minute of the second. Despite shooting just 4-17 in the quarter, the visitors stormed back and took a lead with 2:06 left in the half.
Jacksboro used late baskets from sophomore Cannon Valenzuela and Belcher to retake the lead at 24-22 at intermission. The 6’4” Valenzuela, a transfer from Canton, had four points and five rebounds.
Valenzuela sparked the second half comeback with 17 points and 12 boards in the final two quarters. Still, it was senior Ryder Jackson who got things rolling with a bucket and three-pointer in the first two minutes of the third. Valenzuela had five buckets in the frame but received some help from Jackson and Vaughan inside and a Belcher three-pointer to end a 10-16 shooting quarter from the floor.
Eastland, on the other hand, was 3-16 shooting with junior Grady Galyean responsible for nine of the Mavs’ 10 points in the third. Jacksboro used a 13-point quarter from Valenzuela to take a 5132 lead going into the fourth.
Valenzuela had both buckets and Jackson three free throws to account for all seven Purple points in the final frame. The visitors never got closer than 14 in the final quarter, however.
Valenzuela led four in double figures with 21 points. Jackson had 13, Belcher 12 and Vaughan 10. Galyean tossed in a game-high 26 for the Mavericks.
Jacksborowasscheduled to play Tuesday in Windthorst (no results available as of press time) and Friday, Dec. 2, the team will host Lindsay.
