Basketball playoff roundup: Celeste falls to No. 6 Rivercrest; Eagles, Wolves advance
Mar. 2—Rivercrest 56,
Celeste 28
By David Claybourn
Herald-banner Sports Editor
When you're a player on a basketball team that presses the whole game, your legs need some rest between games.
The No. 25 state-ranked Celeste Blue Devils didn't get much rest between their 74-57 Class 2A area playoff win over Linden-Kildare on Wednesday at Sulphur Springs and their quarterfinal game on Friday in Greenville against No. 6 Rivercrest.
"We were a step slow," said Celeste coach Jeff Smith.
Rivercrest pulled away from a 7-7 deadlock after one quarter for a 56-28 victory. The Rebels outscored the Blue Devils 19-6, 12-9 and 18-6 over the final three quarters to improve their season record to 24-2. They'll play Cisco in the regional semifinals. Cisco won its quarterfinal game, 56-36 over Seymour.
Celeste finished at 22-5 after winning district, bi-district and area championships.
"I thought we played good defense but we didn't handle the ball well and didn't shoot it well," said Smith. "Got to credit them for the way they played. They're a ranked team for a reason."
Brayden English scored inside and out to lead the Rebels and all scorers with 22 points and helped hold Celeste's Damon Crook to six points. Crook had scored 27 points in the win over Linden-Kildare.
Zack Lane tossed in 12 points for Rivercrest while Kamryn English and Darrion Ricks both added eight points.
Jawonte Stephens led Celeste with 10 points and Qua Stephens added eight.
Celeste will lose five seniors to graduation including Jawonte Stephens, Thomas Powell, Tyson Fielden, Jared Sherwin and Tre' Robison.
Class 2A quarterfinals
Rivercrest 7 19 12 18 —56
Celeste 7 6 9 6 —28
R: Zack Lane 12, John Grider 4, Eli Bivins 2, Kamryn English 8, Braydyn English 22, Darrion Ricks 8.
C: Jawonte Stephens 10, Thomas Powell 2, Damon Crook 6, Ky Drennon 2, Qua Stephens 8.
Records: R 24-2, C 22-5.
Next game: Rivercrest vs. Cisco, Class 2A regional semifinals.
Gr. Christian 84,
Waxahachie Prep 39
From staff reports
Greenville Christian jumped out to a 29-6 lead in the first quarter and never looked back in an 84-39 bi-district basketball home win over Waxahachie Prep on Friday.
The Eagles overwhelmed the visitors from Waxahachie, who only suited up five players. Greenville Christian also led 50-24 at the half and 69-26 after three quarters.
Greenville Christian, now 10-5 for the season, advances to the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools' Class A area round to play Irving Faustina, a 75-33 winner over Notre Dame Catholic of Wichita Falls.
The Eagles' second-round game is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Drive Nation Sports, 2550 Rental Car Drive in Irving. The sports complex, located on the property of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, features 40,000 square feet of basketball/volleyball courts.
Ryan Holt led the Eagles over Waxahachie Prep with 20 points. Noah Holt was next with 18 points. Elijah Smith tossed in 15 points. Eli Wimberley finished with 13 points and five steals. Wilson Feezel added nine points, five assists and five steals.
TAPPS Class A bi-district playoff
Waxahachie Prep 6 18 2 13 —39
Greenville Christian 29 21 19 15 —84
GC: Noah Holt 18, Wilson Feezel 9, Eli Wimberley 13, Jack Pope 2, Elijah Smith 15, ColtonSmith 4, Daven Denney 1, Jake Pletcher 3, Tommy Witt 2, Ryan Holt 20.
Record: GC 10-5.
Wolfe City 60,
McLeod 54
PITTSBURG — The Wolfe City Wolves continued their climb up the Class 2A basketball playoff ladder with a 60-54 quarterfinal victory over No. 5 state-ranked McLeod on Friday.
Jaren Brummett led the Wolves with 26 points, while Cole Salisbury doubled up with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Salisbury also took four charging fouls while on defense. Amarien Jones added another 12 points and four assists.
"It was really just a culmination of hard work and relentless effort by our kids to outduel the No. 5 team in the state," said Wolfe City coach Stephen Blassingame. "We played really well in all facets of the game. Our three seniors made huge impacts on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball.
"We held a great 3-point shooting team to just 4-for-21 and that's really the whole story," he said.
The Wolves will advance to the region semifinals to take on No. 8 Lipan at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Prosper High School. Lipan won its quarterfinal playoff game 61-39 over Italy. Lipan has also beaten Albany 75-46 at area and Valley Mills 64-21 at bi-district. Lipan is 22-4 for the season.
Wolfe City, now 16-8 for the season, opened the playoffs with a 43-41 win over former state champion Muenster and then beat Maud 53-43.
Class 2A quarterfinals
Wolfe City 12 19 13 16 —60
McLeod 13 7 15 19 —54
C: Jaren Brummett 26, Cole Salisburgy 16, Amarien Jones 12.
Next game: Wolfe City vs. Iipan, 8 p.m. Tuesday, Prosper.
