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The Smithville Tigers faced off against their two arch rivals last week: The Caldwell Hornets and the La Grange Leopards.
Between the girls and the boys teams, Smithville went 1-3. Despite a couple tough losses, both teams are still in playoff position, each ranking fourth in district standings.
The lone victory for Smithville basketball came on Tuesday, Jan. 17, as the boys hosted the Hornets. The Tigers executed on both ends of the court and won convincingly, 59-44.
On the same night, the Lady Tigers traveled to take on Caldwell. A strong second quarter propelled the Lady Hornets to a 30-13 lead going into halftime.
Smithville guard Monica Lewis knocked down several 3-pointers to swing momentum to the Lady Tigers’ side. Smithville outscored the Lady Hornets 24-13 in the second half, but the comeback fell short, and they lost 43-37.
On Friday, Jan. 20, the Lady Tigers fell to a formidable, first in district, La Grange team. The Lady Leopards were dominant from the opening tip, coasting to a 69-27 victory.
The boys game was a back and forth battle early on as the rival student sections were in full force. The Leopards held just a 18-16 lead at halftime.
La Grange extended their lead to 26-18 in the third quarter, but back to back buckets by Smithville’s Joseph Mokry cut the deficit to three going into the fourth quarter.
The Leopards responded with a run of their own to gain a 10-point advantage, but Ramonz Adams sank a big 3-pointer, giving a spark to the home crowd in attendance. The Leopards ultimately hung on, though, and won 40-28.
Adams led the Tigers with 10 points, four rebounds and two assists. Mokry had a solid all-around performance, tallying eight points and eight rebounds. Tigers forward Jacoby Brown also contributed with six points and four rebounds.
The girls and boys teams both possess a .500 winning percentage in district play. Next up, the Tigers will face Manor New Tech (Jan. 24) and Giddings (Jan. 27). The Lady Tigers will be on the road on Tuesday and at home on Friday, and it will be the reserve for the boys.
