Tiger Face Battle For Playoff Spot

The early season prediction for the Wills Point varsity boys’ basketball team was that they could finish anywhere from first to fourth in the district race. The first-place possibility is gone, but second through fourth are still in play after the Tigers split games with Rains and Royse City.

Hosting the Rains Wildcats last Friday night, the Tigers fell behind by an 11-7 margin in the first quarter, but outscored Rains 15-7 in the second.

Sophomore post players Steven Cunigan and Junior Hamilton crashed the offensive glass, and combined for 12 points in the second. Senior guard Larry Dotson started his best night as a Tiger by hitting a 3-point in the quarter.

Rains went on an eight-point run early in the third, and took a 24-28 lead, but Hamilton put back another rebound to stop the run. Dotson then took an inside out pass from Cunigan for his second 3-point shot of the night. Dotson scored eight in the third, and Wills Point held a 38-33 lead.

Rains got as close as 47-45 with 1:35 remaining, but the Tigers won going away, 55-47. Dotson scored eight more in the fourth for a game-high total of 21. Hamilton and Cunigan each scored 12; Mark Barefield added five; Peewee Qualls, three; and Colton Newton, two.

The Tigers then traveled to Royse City on Tuesday night, trailing the first-place Bulldogs by one game. After a 66-48 loss, however, Wills Point fell into a 3-3 tie for second with Commerce, while Royse City has a firm, 5-1 hold on first.

The Tigers were within 14-11 at the end of the first, but the Bulldogs used a 22-12 second quarter to take a 36-23 halftime lead.

Barefield led Wills Point with 19 points, while Cunigan and Hamilton each scored eight. Price Davenport added six; Qualls, four; and Jayce Oldacre, three.

An important playoff battle will take place tonight (Friday) when the 3-3 Commerce Tigers come to town. Commerce started 3-0 in the district race, but have been on a slide ever since.

On Tuesday, Wills Point travels to Nevada-Community to take on the Braves, who are 4-2 going into tonight’s action.