Sports
Tornadoes take second place at Caprock Classic
Texline starts district tomorrow
The Texline Tornadoes played in Lubbock at the Caprock Classic, the largest high school basketball tournament in the U.S., last week, from Monday December 29-Wednesday December 31. Texline won the first three games to make it to the championship of its bracket, and a last-second shot to tie the game fell just short, which ended up giving the Tornadoes second place in the bracket.
The Tornadoes played in the United Supermarkets Bracket, one of three boys’ brackets (there were also three girls’ brackets.) They started the tournament against Quanah on Monday and controlled the game from start to finish. Bo Bradley hit a three and led the team in the first quarter with eight points. Rett Wann nailed two threes for six points, and Hadley Crisp also scored six points while Ivan Lopez added two. Texline led 22-8 after the first period, and took a 46-23 lead at halftimes.
The Tornadoes went on to beat Quanah 86-46. Eight different players scored for Texline during the game. Crisp and Bradley each scored 19 points, and Wann was right behind with 18 points. Branston Potter scored 10 points, Ivan Lopez had nine points, Joel Lopez had four points, Guymon Mann hit a three, and Eli Mann and Leo Martinez each added two points.
Texline played Whitharral on Tuesday after beating Quanah, and that game was much more competitive. Wann hit two threes for six points in the first quarter. Potter also put in a three, and Ivan Lopez and Bradley each added two points. Texline led 13-11 after the first quarter.
Whitharral came back to take a small lead at halftime, outscoring the Tornadoes by six points in the second quarter. Bradley nailed a three and scored six points, and Crisp and Wann each had two points. At halftime Whitharral led 27-23.
The teams basically reversed in the third quarter, with Texline outscoring Whitharral by six to retake the lead. Potter drained two threes for six points, and Crisp hit one three and also had six. Bradley scored four points, and Wann hit his own three-pointer. Texline held a lead of 42-40 as the third period ended.
The Tornadoes put the game out of reach in the fourth quarter, putting 26 points on the board while Whitharral scored 14. Potter hit three more three-pointers and led the team with 11 points. Bradley scored seven points, Wann hit a three and added five points, Joel Lopez scored two points and Ivan Lopez hit a free throw. Texline won the game 68-54. Potter scored 20 points, and Bradley added 19 while Wann had 16 points.
The win against Whitharral put Texline up against Hale Center in the semifinals later on Tuesday. The Tornadoes took a 19-18 lead at the end of the first period, but Hale Center came back to lead 40-28 at halftime and 60-47 at the end of the third quarter. The Tornadoes then made their own comeback, outscoring Hale Center 26-10 in the fourth quarter to win the game 73-70.
Crisp led the team with 28 points. Bradley scored 18 points, Potter had 14 points, Wann added 11 points, and Andre Naranjo had two points.
Texline played Alpine in the championship game on Wednesday. Texline took a 16-10 lead after one period, but Alpine came back to tie the score at 32-32 at halftime. Alpine took a 50-45 lead in the third quarter. In the fourth, Alpine maintained the lead, but Texline was able to cut it down to just three points, and caused Alpine to turn the ball over with just under one second left in the game. The Tornadoes were able to get off a three-pointer that would have tied the game, but it hit the front of the rim and bounced off, and Alpine held on for a 64-61 win, which gave Texline second place in the bracket.
Bradley scored 28 points to lead the Tornadoes. Crisp had 17 points, Wann scored 12 points, and Ivan Lopez added four points. Wann, Crisp and Bradley were all named to the All-Tournament Team.
Texline was scheduled to play at Dalhart on Tuesday January 6. The Tornadoes will start district play tomorrow January 9, taking on Adrian at home. The girls play at 6 p.m. and the boys follow at 7:30 p.m.
Lady Tornadoes win 3-of-4 at Caprock Classic
The Texline Lady Tornadoes competed in the largest basketball tournament in the United States last week from Monday December 29-Wednesday December 31, playing in the Caprock Classic in Lubbock. The tournament includes six total brackets, three for girls and three for boys, and the Lady Tornadoes ended up placing third in the MCM Elegante Bracket, only losing a very close overtime game to local rival Dalhart in the semifinals.
Texline played the Lubbock Titans on Monday. The first quarter was close, with a single point separating the teams. Amarissah Johnson scored five points in the period, Alexandra Montes had four points, and Raley Valdez, Taylor Mann and Jada Clay each added two points. Texline led 15-14 at the end of the first.
The Lady Tornadoes took command of the game in the second quarter and never looked back. Clay and Johnson each nailed a three and scored five points in the second, Mann scored four points, Prezlee Potter added three points, and Montes had two points. At halftime Texline’s lead was 35-23. Texline led 51-29 at the end of the third, and won the game 58-38. Johnson led the team with 15 points. Clay and Montes each had 10 points, Mann scored eight points, Dabria Nicholson added six points, Raley Valdez put four points on the board, Potter had three points, and Riata Valdez scored two.
That win put Texline up against Lubbock Christian later on Monday. Both teams struggled to score in the first, combining for 10 points. Clay nailed a three for Texline and Montes hit a free throw, and Lubbock Christian led 6-4 as the first period ended. The Lady Tornadoes exploded in the second quarter, putting 18 points on the board while holding Lubbock Christian to seven points. Johnson hit two threes for six points in the second. Clay hit another three and added five points, Raley Valdez, Montes and Potter each scored two points, and Mann hit a free throw.
Texline held a lead of 22-13 at halftime, and went on to win the game 51-43. Seven different players put points on the scoreboard. Johnson had 14 points, Clay scored 13, Montes added nine, Potter put eight points up, Nicholson hit a three, and Raley Valdez and Mann each scored two points.
The win over Lubbock Christian put Texline in the semifinals against the Dalhart Lady Wolves. Dalhart jumped out to the lead in the first quarter. Clay nailed two threes for six points for Texline, and Raley Valdez added two points. Joie Read scored 11 points for Dalhart, Kammi Maddox added six points, and Arianna Chacon and Avi Day each hit a three. Dalhart led 23-8 as the first period came to an end.
The Lady Tornadoes closed the gap by a single point in the second quarter, outscoring Dalhart 15-14. Clay drained another three and scored seven points. Johnson scored four points, and Potter and Raley Valdez each added two points. At halftime the score was 37-23 in favor of Dalhart.
Texline came out in the third quarter and clamped down on defense, only allowing Maddox to score on a single free throw for the Lady Wolves. Clay hit one more three, and Mann, Johnson and Montes each added two points. Dalhart’s lead was 38-32 at the end of the third.
The Lady Tornadoes continued playing tough defense in the fourth quarter as they came the rest of the way back to tie the game. Montes led Texline with four points, and Clay, Johnson, Raley Valdez and Potter each added two points. Aubree Ramirez scored four points for Dalhart, and Read added two points.
The score was tied 44- 44 at the end of regulation, sending the game into overtime. The Lady Wolves were able to keep Texline from scoring in the extra period, while Maddox and Ramirez each put three points on the board and Read added two points. Dalhart won the game 52-44 in overtime. Clay led Texline with 18 points, Johnson had eight points, and Montes and Raley Valdez each added six points.
Texline played St. Mary’s Hall on Wednesday in the third place game. The game was close in the first half, with St. Mary’s leading 11-9 after the first quarter before Texline took a 21-20 lead at halftime. Clay hit two threes for six points in the first half, and Mann also scored six in the half while Montes had four, Johnson added three, and Raley Valdez scored two points.
Texline began pulling away in the third quarter, outscoring St. Mary’s Hall 16-8. Johnson led the team with five points. Clay and Nicholson each nailed a three, and Montes also scored three points while Mann added two points. Texline led 37-28 at the end of the third quarter, and won the game by a final score of 45- 37 as Clay hit a three and scored five in the final period and Johnson also hit a three. Clay led the team for the game with 14 points, Johnson had 11 points, and Mann scored eight points.
As it turned out, the game between Texline and Dalhart was probably the real championship game, since the Lady Tornadoes took Dalhart to overtime while Shallowater was unable to do so. Texline ended up in third place, and was also named the team with the Best Sportsmanship in the bracket. Clay and Montes were both named to the All- Tournament Team.
Texline was scheduled to play at Dalhart on Tuesday January 6, but since the teams had already played each other twice during tournaments, that game ended up being canceled (the JV girls game and the boys’ games remained on the schedule.) Texline will begin district play tomorrow at home against Adrian, with the girls playing at 6 p.m. and the boys following at 7:30 p.m.
