Sabine sweeps Gladewater
Cards clinch playoff berth; Lady Cards now 8-1 in district
By JASON HEFFNER and MITCH LUCAS sports@kilgorenewsherald.com

LIBERTY CITY - "The pride is back" is the slogan for this year's Sabine boys basketball team, and the phrase is more fitting now than ever before, after the Cardinals clinched a playoff birth with a 54-43 win at home over Gladewater.

Sabine's last appearance in the state's Class 3A basketball playoffs was in 2005. Of course, many know about the school's legendary two state championships in the early 1980's.

The Lady Cardinals are adding to tradition, as well. They also defeated Gladewater Friday night, 45-24, and are now 8-1 in District 15-3A.

Both teams will play at White Oak Tuesday night. For the Lady Cardinals, that will be the end of the regular season, with the playoffs to follow.

• Sabine 54, Gladewater 43 (boys): Noah Jackson lit up the Bears for 23 points including two three-pointers. Jackson went 6-of-8 from the free-throw line. Sophmore Lie'Quan Byrd followed with 12 points. Byrd also made two threepointers in the game.

The Cardinals got off to yet another slow start, and trailed 7-2 at one point early in the game. However, Jacob Kenna's free-throw late in the first quarter tied the game at 11. Both teams struggled to score again in the second quarter, and went into the locker room still tied at 22.

Sabine would pull away, however, in the pivotal third quarter, holding Gladewater to just five points in the stanza, while scoring 16 points of their own. Jackson, Byrd, and Kenna all hit from beyond the arc during the third quarter.

Terrance Leach shot very well for the Bears, hit- ting four threes in the game, and scoring 14 points to lead his team. Leach was ejected late in the fourth quarter, however, after being called for two technical fouls. Sabine held a 49-41 advantage at the time the technicals were called.

Sabine, coached by Tim Davis, improves to 25-5 on the season, and more importantly, improves to 5-2 in District 15- 3A. Gladewater falls to 13-15 with the loss and 2-5 in district.

Sabine will travel to White Oak Tuesday night to take on the Roughnecks. A win for the Cardinals would put them in first or second place in the district.

Sabine also won the junior varsity game, 48-44. Marc Cunningham led SHS with 10 points. Chance Haskins finished with eight. Zach Royce also had eight, and Josh Montana and Hunter Powdrill each scored seven. Sabine's JV is 17-4 overall, 5-2 in district, in a tie with Spring Hill and Gladewater for first place in district.

• Sabine 45, Gladewater 24 (girls): The Lady Cardinals, coached by Paul Bell, only got four first-quarter points, but made up for it in the second half, getting 16 points, seven steals, five rebounds and three assists from Samantha Jackson.

Cortnee Ryan also hit double figures, scoring 11, grabbing four rebounds and four steals. Katy Strange had eight points, seven rebounds, and three steals for Sabine (17-10 overall this season). Cassie Headley scored five points, had three steals and two rebounds. Katie Walker had two points, but had five rebounds and a steal.

Alex Easley didn't score, but had six rebounds, a steal and an assist. Shayla Gossett had five rebounds and a steal, and Lindsay McClain had two rebounds.

Tina Valentine led Gladewater with 10 points. Chadnei Brown had nine, and Portia Montgomery eight.

Sabine's JV girls also won, 44- 40. Ashley Francis scored 15 points, Brittany Stuart had 10, and Faith Sweat had seven.