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The Smithville Tigers boosted their playoff hopes thanks to a dazzling performance by Joseph Mokry.
The senior forward scored 43 points and grabbed 23 rebounds, propelling his team to a 73-68 win over the visiting Austin Achieve Polar Bears. With the victory, the Tigers are just one game back from the Taylor Ducks for the fourth and final playoff spot.
The Polar Bears were red hot to open the game, making it rain from all over the court. Smithville weathered the storm, however, and faced a 25-18 deficit after the first quarter.
The Tigers then found their groove offensively while holding the Polar Bears to just 10 points over the next eight minutes. The score was tied 35-35 at halftime.
A strong third quarter by Smithville gave the home team a sizable lead. They played suffocating defense, which resulted in a 19-4 run and a 15-point advantage going into the final quarter.
Austin Achieve refused to give up, though. The visiting team caught fire and scored 29 points down the stretch, but the Tigers fended off the comeback and hung on to win by five.
In addition to Mokry’s monster performance, Ramonz Adams and Tristan Garcia chipped in with a combined 17 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. Jacoby Brown grabbed six rebounds to go with four assists.
Smithville has a chance to jump Taylor in the standings on Tuesday, Feb. 7 when they host the Ducks. The Tigers have a road matchup later in the week, Feb. 10, versus the Caldwell Hornets. Tip-off for both contests are scheduled to start at 7:15 p.m.
