GIDDINGS — The La Grange High School boy’s basketball team defeated Giddings High School Jan. 28 at Buffaloes Gym in Giddings by a final score of 59-45.
The Leopards displayed a solid outing on both sides of the ball and did just enough to keep their comfortable lead for the majority of the game. "We've got things kind of rolling as far as what we want schematically," said La Grange head boy’s basketball coach Trent Collier. “We’ve been really preaching composure and we had our moments tonight where we turned the ball over and gave them some opportunities, but preaching composure and doing things the right way at all times, that's been our focus in the mid - dle of this run. Make sure we handle our business. Not wor- ry about the referees, not worry about the team, the stands, whatever. I don’t know that tonight was our best example of that, but it certainly was part of what allowed us to take control of the game and then finish it."
Sophomore guard Conner Brooks put up 10 points for the outing and played a big part for La Grange offensively.
“Tonight, it was a rivalry game and we were high," Brooks said.
“We wanted to win this game by
like 20. Last time, we only won by 8. It was really just a drive just
to beat them. Just to blow them out." La Grange had an efficient first quarter and took a 15-5 lead on a few layups and a three point -
er, then a layup from Devonte Mckenzie at the 2:20 mark. La
Grange junior guard Cole Collier
followed it with a running shot near the baseline about 30 sec - onds later for a 17-6 scoreboard at the end of the first quarter in favor of La Grange.
The Leopards kept their foot on the gas in the second quarter and had a 25-9 lead with about 4 and a half minutes to go after a steal and layup from senior guard Cordale Knapik. Giddings
was able to stay in the game with some baskets late in the quarter, one which included a jumper
near the free throw line to make it 29-17 at halftime. The Buffa loes made two baskets in a row to start the third quarter, which cut the La Grange lead to 31-- 21. This led to La Grange going on a tear for the majority of the quarter with a bunch of layups, a couple three pointers, and a few free throws to take a 45-23 lead with just over two minutes to play in the quarter. The Buffaloes an - swered with a three from the top of the key and three made free throws to end the quarter at 4529. La Grange added to their big lead once again in the fourth quarter with a jumper, a three,
and a layup with about six min- utes to go to make it 52-31. Gid dings was able to scrape into the lead again later in the quarter, but La Grange had such a big lead throughout the game and did their job in the final quarter to take a 59-45 win.
Leopards sophomore forward Brandon Mathis, 35, looks to make a play in transition. Banner Press photo by Brian Pierson
