Sports > Schools
No quit: Bobcats battle with Lone Star in season finale
BY Chris O’Dell, codell@starlocalnews.com
The last time the Celina boys basketball team met Lone Star, an 80-36 shellacking was the end result from their Jan. 25 matchup.
The two teams squared off for the second time this season on Tuesday and despite Celina’s postseason chances already finished, the Bobcats gave the Rangers a much closer contest this time around.
“We played really well,” said Dusty Hutson, Celina head coach. “We just missed a bunch of shots in the paint or else we would have had a good chance.”
Lone Star ultimately prevailed for a 56-48 victory to drop Celina’s final season mark to 6-16 and 0-8 against District 10-3A counterparts. However, Hutson said his team battled from start to finish.
“We wanted to finish the year on a good note,” he said. “I thought we did that.”
The team was led by senior guard Kyle Sudberry, who scored 12 points to become one of two Bobcats to reach double figures. Junior guard Braylin Brown added 11 of his own in the game.
“I thought we got better as the season progressed,” Hutson said. “I’d like to think if we had one more round to go, we’d play some really good basketball.”
Lone Star carried an eight-point advantage into the locker room and never relinquished that lead. However, Celina played the third-place team point-for-point in the final two quarters.
“Lone Star is a really talented team,” Hutson said. “They’ve got some good size and some good athleticism.”
The game could have gone much differently if not for missed opportunities down low from Celina.
“When you miss a lot of shots in the paint, it’s hard to get those chances back,” Hutson said.
The night marked the final game for five Celina players’ high school careers. Seniors Sudberry, Willie Sims, Dalton Hamilton, Rusty Barton and Forrest Keller each started the first and third quarters in their last game in front of the Celina faithful.
The team will return three starters next season, including Brown, junior forward Deshawn Davis and junior Brian Dentry.
“We’ve got some good young kids coming up that will really be able to help our varsity,” Hutson said. “I feel good about our program right now.”
With a key core of returners back next year, the expectations for the Bobcats will increase. Hutson his team is on the verge of translating effort into wins.
“Obviously here at Celina we want to win,” he said. “That’s our goal and I think we are capable of that.”
The two teams squared off for the second time this season on Tuesday and despite Celina’s postseason chances already finished, the Bobcats gave the Rangers a much closer contest this time around.
“We played really well,” said Dusty Hutson, Celina head coach. “We just missed a bunch of shots in the paint or else we would have had a good chance.”
Lone Star ultimately prevailed for a 56-48 victory to drop Celina’s final season mark to 6-16 and 0-8 against District 10-3A counterparts. However, Hutson said his team battled from start to finish.
“We wanted to finish the year on a good note,” he said. “I thought we did that.”
The team was led by senior guard Kyle Sudberry, who scored 12 points to become one of two Bobcats to reach double figures. Junior guard Braylin Brown added 11 of his own in the game.
“I thought we got better as the season progressed,” Hutson said. “I’d like to think if we had one more round to go, we’d play some really good basketball.”
Lone Star carried an eight-point advantage into the locker room and never relinquished that lead. However, Celina played the third-place team point-for-point in the final two quarters.
“Lone Star is a really talented team,” Hutson said. “They’ve got some good size and some good athleticism.”
The game could have gone much differently if not for missed opportunities down low from Celina.
“When you miss a lot of shots in the paint, it’s hard to get those chances back,” Hutson said.
The night marked the final game for five Celina players’ high school careers. Seniors Sudberry, Willie Sims, Dalton Hamilton, Rusty Barton and Forrest Keller each started the first and third quarters in their last game in front of the Celina faithful.
The team will return three starters next season, including Brown, junior forward Deshawn Davis and junior Brian Dentry.
“We’ve got some good young kids coming up that will really be able to help our varsity,” Hutson said. “I feel good about our program right now.”
With a key core of returners back next year, the expectations for the Bobcats will increase. Hutson his team is on the verge of translating effort into wins.
“Obviously here at Celina we want to win,” he said. “That’s our goal and I think we are capable of that.”
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