Bucks compete in Graham, finish 0-4 in tournament

The Breckenridge Buckaroos looked to improve on five wins to open the basketball season last week when they traveled to Graham to participate in the inaugural Red, White and Blue Tournament at Graham High School.

Participating in Group A to open the tournament, the Buckaroos played against Perrin-Whitt and Iowa Park. After Iowa Park agreed to drop to the White Bracket to avoid a team in their district, the Bucks met Vernon and Graham in bracket play.

Iowa Park 64, Buckaroos 50

The Hawks opened the game by outscoring the Buckaroos 19-6 in the game’s first five minutes. Jerry Lawson and Carter Smalley gave the Bucks a pair of early baskets in the opening two minutes to keep the game tied 4-4. Smalley’s 2-point field goal with 6:16 left in the quarter was followed by six-straight points by the Hawks. Smalley briefly stopped the Hawks with an assist from Lawson at the 4:28 mark. However, the Hawks responded with nine more points to take a 19-6 lead with 2:49 remaining in the quarter.

The Buckaroos finished the quarter by outscoring the Hawks 13-5 over the final three minutes to cut their deficit to five points at the end of the first quarter.

By holding the Hawks to scoring droughts of nearly three minutes on two occasions, the Buckaroos were able to cut their deficit to one point by halftime. Cam Escalon continued the comeback attempt with a fast-break basket started with his defensive rebound. A free throw by Ryan Mendoza at the 5:28 mark of the second quarter cut the deficit to four points.

The Buckaroos drew even with 3:18 remaining on the clock following a pair of 3-pointers by Anson Rodgers and Lane Tinkle. A minute later, the Buckaroos had their only lead of the game with a basket by Lawson. The Hawks regained a one-point lead at halftime.

A free throw, two seconds into the second half allowed the Buckaroos to tie the game for the final time. The Hawks outscored the Buckaroos 13-8 in the third quarter to take a six-point lead into the third quarter.

The Hawks outscored the Buckaroos 10-2 in the first four minutes and 13 seconds of the fourth quarter to run away with the game and take a 14-point lead. Smalley scored the Buckaroos’ final field goal with 3:32 remaining in the game.

Perrin-Whitt 82, Buckaroos 58

For one quarter, the Buckaroos were able to contend with the defensive intensity and outside shooting of the Class A No. 5 ranked Pirates. The Pirates jumped to an 8-0 lead in the first minute of the game.

Over the next two minutes, the Buckaroos were able to cut their deficit to two points. The run started with an assist from Lawson on a 3-point basket by Rodgers with 6:09 remaining in the first quarter. Lawson scored a basket of his own 30 seconds later to cut the deficit to three.

A 3-pointer by the Pirates briefly stopped the Buckaroos’ run. Lawson helped his team bounce back followed by a transition basket from Alexis Franco to cut the deficit to two points at 11-9.

Following a Pirates timeout, Franco earned an assist on Rodgers’ 3-pointer that gave the Buckaroos the first of three leads in the game at 12-11. A pair of free throws from the Pirates gave them a one-point lead at 13-12. Franco earned his second assist of the game with a 3-pointer by Lawson at the 3:05 mark in the first quarter for a 15-13 lead. The Bucks’ final lead of the game was following a 2-point basket by Smalley with 2:41 left in the quarter. Smalley’s points were the final basket by the Buckaroos in the first quarter. The Hawks scored the final five points of the quarter to take a 20-17 lead. By halftime, the Pirates took advantage of three 3-pointers to take a seven-point lead into halftime.

Seven points are as close as the Buckaroos could get the rest of the way. The Pirates outscored the Buckaroos 44-27 in the second half to take a 24-point win.

Vernon 65, Buckaroos 36

With Iowa Park electing to drop to the Blue Bracket to avoid a district match-up before their district schedule begins, the Buckaroos were paired with the Lions in the first game of the White Bracket.

Like their previous two games, the Buckaroos were able to keep the game close in the quarter. Playing without Lawson on the final day of the tournament, the Buckaroos depended on Smalley for an inside presence. Smalley stepped up to score seven of the Buckaroos’ 12 first-quarter points to give his team a 12-11 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The Lions began to take over the game in the second quarter. Held to five points on a 3-pointer by Franco and a 2-point field goal by Rodgers, the Lions took advantage of five points each from Adarius Williams and Tyrone McKinney in an 18-point second quarter.

Escalon scored five points in the third to lead the Buckaroos, who were outscored 19-9 in the third quarter to fall behind 22 points.

The Buckaroos were not able to fight back in the bracket play-opening game and moved to the consolation side of the bracket.

Graham 57, Buckaroos 48

The Buckaroos and Steers were paired in their final games of the tournament after the Steers were defeated by eventual White Bracket champions, Clyde.

Holding the Buckaroos to less than 10 points per quarter in the first half, the Steers jumped to a 30-13 lead. After a basket with 2:55 remaining in the first quarter, the Steers were held without points until the 5:39 mark of the second quarter.

In that time, the Steers scored 15 straight points. Keion Shead scored 10 of the Steers’ points in that run to take a 21-8 lead.

The Buckaroos responded with fivestraight points by Franco, Smalley and Rodgers before the Steers closed the half with a nine-point run.

The Steers extended their lead to 20 points on two occasions in the third quarter, before the Buckaroos began to close the deficit over the final three minutes of the quarter. Holding the Steers to one point over the last six minutes of the quarter, the Buckaroos cut the deficit to 10 points with a 10-1 run with points by Christian Arellano, Zeke Castillo, Franco and Castillo. Nine points was as close as the Buckaroos could get as the Steers closed out the game. The Buckaroos finished the tournament with an 0-4 record over the three-day event.

After hosting Albany, Tuesday, Dec. 13, the Buckaroos will travel Friday, Dec. 16 to Henrietta.

Before taking a week off for Christmas, the Buckaroos will host Comanche at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20.