Big Country Player of the Week: Early's Cooper puts up huge numbers against Dublin
Early picked up a signature win Friday against Dublin, thanks largely to Vic Cooper.
The senior forward led the Longhorns with 34 points in a 77-74 overtime win over the Lions. Cooper also notched a game-high 19 rebounds.
"Vic always steps up when we need him too, and this game was no exception,” Early head coach Eric Davis said. “Whenever we needed an important rebound or bucket, Vic got the job done. He also did a great job defending the paint."
The win was Early’s second of the week. The Longhorns prevously beat Eastland 52-42. Early was 16-8 overall, 3-2 in district play, going into this week's action.
Best of the Rest
Carson Greenwood, Roscoe guard
Greenwood has been a consistent leader for the Plowgirls, and she had another big game last week.
Against Miles, Greenwood led the team with 22 points in the Plowgirls’ 49-34 win. She also notched four rebounds, three steals and an assist.
“Carson is a leader on and off the court,” Roscoe head coach Shella Arnwine said. “She leads by example.”
Roscoe is 18-6, 3-0 and will face Colorado City on Friday.
Kooper Darby, Merkel guard
Darby helped the Badgers pick up two close wins over Jim Ned and Clyde.
The sophomore averaged 18 points in the games and led the team in scoring in Merkel’s 41-40 victory over Clyde. He also averaged three rebounds and two assists.
Merkel was tied with Jim Ned and Wall for first place in District 6-3A with a 4-1 record into play Tuesday.
Madison Torrez, Early guard
Torrez was a strong offensive contributor in Early’s 1-1 week.
She scored 16 points in each of the Longhorns’ games: a loss against Eastland and a win against Dublin. She went a combined 10-of-12 from the free-throw line and notched five assists and seven rebounds.
“Madison has a ton of energy which provides a spark for our team,” Early coach Kristy Sweatman said. “I appreciate the effort and energy she brings to the floor day in and day out.”
Chris Martinez, Big Spring guard
Big Spring took down Snyder, and Martinez was crucial to the Steers’ winning 48-35 effort. The senior went for a game-high 23 points and also logged four steals and two assists.
The win over the Tigers was Big Spring’s district opener. The Steers were 14-10, 1-0, going into Tuesday's showdown with 19-2 Levelland, ranked No. 6 in the state.
Mason Hagler, Anson forward
Hagler had a career night against Hawley on Friday. The senior post led the Tigers with 36 points and also recorded four rebounds in a tough 52-51 loss.
The Tigers went 1-1 last week, beating Albany, They were 10-9, 3-1, going into Tuesday's game with Hamlin.
Katy Elder, Coleman guard
Though Coleman fell to Miles on Friday, Elder had an efficient night.
A sophomore guard, Elder shot 53% from the field and 50% from the free-throw line, finishing the game with 19 points. She also recorded five rebounds and four steals.
The Bluecats were 6-15, 1-2, entering the week.
Carrigan Norris, Early forward
After missing time due to illness, Norris played exceptionally in her return.
The senior combined for 15 points in the Longhorns’ games against Eastland and Dublin. She also recorded seven rebounds in each of the games.
“She was ready to play,” Sweatman said. “She is a post player that I moved to a guard position for these two games, and I thought she did a great job. She still managed to crash the boards and find rebounds and defend the perimeter for us.”
Maddox O’Malley, Merkel forward
While Darby was Merkel’s leading scorer last week, O’Malley was a key facilitator.
The junior averaged 12 rebounds per game in the Badgers’ wins, also posting seven points and three assists per contest.
Merkel has won five games in a row.
Blake Vinson, Anson guard
Vinson reached double figures in both of Anson’s games last week.
The senior scored 13 points against Albany and 10 points against Hawley on Friday. He also combined for 11 rebounds in the games.
Carson Field is the area sports reporter for the Abilene Reporter-News. He covers primarily Big Country high school sports. If you appreciate locally driven news, you can support local journalists with a digital subscription to ReporterNews.com" target="_blank">digital subscription to reporternews.com.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Early Longhorn Vic Cooper dominates against Dublin
