Lobos edge Tigers in battle for 1st; Lady Tigers battle in season finale
News Staff Fri, 02/09/2024 - 20:47 Image
Mount Pleasant’s Kai Price battles with Longview’s Robert Blandburg during Tuesday’s game. The Tigers fell just short against the Lobos, 45-42. Mount Pleasant hosted Marshall Friday and travel to Tyler for their regular season finale Tuesday. TRIBUNE PHOTO / QUINTEN BOYD 
Melany Morales (left) and Shannon Hines (right) defend Longview’s T’Asia McGee during Tuesday’s game. The Lady Tigers fell to the Lady Lobos in the season finale. COURTESY PHOTO / LES HASSELL OF THE LONGVIEW NEWS-JOURNAL
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The significance of Tuesday’s Mount Pleasant- Longview game wasn’t lost on anyone in attendance. It wasn’t going to officially solidify a district title for either team, but the winner would have a leg up in the race.
For the Tigers, a win over the Lobos would put them a game ahead in the district standings with two regular season games left. Longview would have the season sweep over the Tigers with a win.
The two teams met in front of a packed house Tuesday evening at Willie Williams Gymnasium in a playoff atmosphere with the Goin’ Gold Band and the Tiger Dolls in attendance to help add to the ambience.
The game was back and forth all night, but a fourth quarter run and two late threes by Longview’s Jayden Hawley-Lee pushed the Lobos past the Tigers, 45-42.
Neither team let the other get too far ahead of the other, but Longview’s shooting in the fourth quarter helped them edge the Tigers, who had a chance to tie with under 20 seconds left, but Carter Chism’s shot attempt fell just short, the Lobos grabbed the rebound and Damarrian Williams went 1-2 from the free throw line with two seconds left. The Tigers got a shot up from half court before the buzzer but it was no good and the Lobo faithful celebrated getting closer to the program’s first district title in nearly 20 years.
Kai Price led the Tigers with 14 points. Chism finished with 13 and Reggie Webster scored eight. Jordyn Hurndon finished with five and A’Shad Smith put in two.
Williams and Davis Justice each led the Lobos with 11 points. Robert Blandburg added 10 and Hawley-Lee scored seven.
When Longview beat Mount Pleasant earlier in the season, the Lobos lost their next game against Tyler High. The Lobos and Lions met Friday evening.
Should the Lobos and Tigers finish tied at the top of the district, the two will share the district title by record, but Longview will be the higher seed thanks to their season sweep. Longview finishes the season Tuesday at Hallsville.
Mount Pleasant hosted Marshall Friday in their home finale and will finish the season Tuesday at Tyler.
The Lady Tigers traveled to Longview for their season finale in a year where a younger Lady Tiger team with just two seniors and four freshmen battled and learned as they grew.
Unfortunately, Tuesday the Lady Tigers found themselves down in the first quarter after an 18-0 run and fell to the Lady Lobos, 51-34.
The Lady Tigers refused to back down, starting the fourth quarter on a 10-6 run in the hopes they would be able to battle back, but the Lady Lobos’ shooting streak continued through to the final buzzer.
Auti Johnson led Mount Pleasant with eight points. Essence Hurndon added seven and Melany Morales scored five.
The Lady Tigers’ season ends at 8-21 and 4-10, finishing sixth in district play. It was the final game for Lady Tiger seniors Autiuana “Auti” Johnson and Essence Hurndon.
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