Lady 'Dogs win district
Set record for district wins; boys lose in OT
By MITCH LUCAS sports@kilgorenewsherald.com

LAYUP - Kilgore High School junior Xavian Sanders (13) scores for the Bulldogs in Tuesday's home game against Hallsville. The Bulldogs lost to the Bobcats, 64-62, in overtime. The Lady Bulldogs won, 31-28.

Taking their game to another level since right before Christmas, the Kilgore High School varsity girls basketball team sealed the deal, so to speak, on Tuesday night with a win at Hallsville.

The Lady Bulldogs defeated Hallsville, 31-28, Tuesday, finishing the District 12-4A schedule with a 12-2 record. Nacogdoches, the team Kilgore had been tied with headed into the night, also won, beating Marshall, and leaving the two teams tied atop the standings.

Thus, KHS and Nac share the district championship, and will play each other for a third time this season on Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. at Henderson to decide who will get the firstround bye that the district champion normally gets. The team that wins Saturday's game will be off Tuesday; the loser will have to play a bi-district, or first-round game, on Tuesday night.

That 12-2 record is also a Kilgore High School record for most wins in a season for the girls' district schedule.

In the game at Hallsville last night, Shae Morgan led Kilgore with 11 points.

Ashia Kelly had eight points and six rebounds. Raven Wiley also scored eight points, and grabbed seven rebounds. Troylisha Orange had six points, and Tai'Shea Reese didn't score, but had six rebounds to help out.

Jacquelyn Hearne led Hallsville with 12 points.

The LadyCats were tied with Whitehouse for the third and final playoff spot in the girls district standings. Whitehouse beat Henderson, 49-25, and gets that third playoff spot.

• Hallsville 64, Kilgore 62, overtime (boys): J.J. Adams got a steal and hit a three-pointer with 16 seconds left in overtime, bringing Kilgore within a point (63-62). Kilgore was forced to foul, and did so on the inbounds pass.

Hallsville hit one of two free throws, giving the Bobcats a two-point lead (64-62). But the Bulldogs turned the ball over trying to tie, and Hallsville held on for the win. Kilgore and Hallsville split the season series, each winning a game.

Corwin Rowlett gave Kilgore a chance to win, hitting a basket to tie the game with 15 seconds left, and sending it to the overtime session.

"The kids did a great job offensively to put the game in overtime," coach Jimmy Williams said. "We really played poorly defensively. We allowed dribble penetration all night and did not get back on defense."

Drake Bickham, a junior, led the Bulldogs with 27 points.

Kilgore has just two games left in its season: at Henderson on Friday night, and at home against Marshall on Tuesday. That Tuesday game here against Marshall will be the night the Bulldogs honor senior players.