NEAR UPSET
Badgers rally to overcome steep deficit, surrender late bucket to 25-4A favorites
By JEREMY HEATH Staff Writer

Clay Tyner: Senior guard scored six of his 12 points in the fourth quarter.

PFLUGERVILLE - The Lampasas boys' basketball team can play with anyone in District 25-4A.

At least that's what Friday night's game at Pflugerville Connally indicates.

The Badgers (9-6 overall, 0-2 in district) took the defending district champions down to the wire, forcing the Cougars (8-9, 2-0) to conjure late heroics to capture a 47-45 win.

"It shows that our hard work is paying off," LHS junior post Heath Hopson said. "We've been working hard, and Coach Harrelson has been working his tail off. To play like this against a good team in their gym shows that hard work is paying off."

The Badgers, who fell behind 10- 0 and trailed by as much as 20-4, rallied to lead 41-40 with 3:14 remaining and were tied with the Cougars 43-43 and 45-45 after that. But with six seconds left, CHS' senior wing Carlton Thomas exploded into the open on the baseline, caught a Darius Darks pass and laid it up and over the Badger defense for the game-winning tally.

Heath Hopson: Junior post scored nine of his game-high 19 points in the first quarter.

"If we don't get down 10-0, we beat a very good team," LHS head coach Scott Harrelson said.

"But the bottom line is: We've got to win that game. It's not about being good enough to barely lose. It's about being good enough to win."

Hopson led the Badgers with 19 points, scoring every LHS point in a first quarter. Connally left that quarter with a 22-9 lead, but the other Heath -- senior post Heath Cofield -- scored six of his eight points in the first 2:10 of the second period and helped pull the Badgers within 22-17.

The teams traded buckets until the intermission, with the Cougars taking a 29-24 lead into the break.

Connally took charge early in the third period, extending its margin to 38-28, but senior guard Clay Tyner's two successful free throws late in the period were a precursor to Tyner's role in the fourth quarter rally.

Tyner scored six of his 12 total points in the fourth quarter, including the two free throws that gave the Badgers the 41-40 lead.

The Badgers outscored the Cougars 13-10 in the frame, holding 6'5" post and Division-I prospect Chase Harper to just three points in the period.

"We can't match up with a team like man to man because they're so much better athletes," Harrelson said.

"With us it's got to be all about team, and tonight we played great team defense. If you would have told me we would hold a team like this in the 40s, I'd have told you you were crazy."

Hopson, Tyner and Cofield accounted for 39 of the Badgers' 45 points, while Coleton Lucas, Vann Millican and Jordy Carnes each registered two.

The Badgers are scheduled to play in the Cameron Yoe Tournament Thursday through Saturday.

CHS 47, LHS 45

Records
Lampasas is 9-6 overall, 0-2 in district;
Connally is 8-9, 2-0.
Impact
Lampasas loses third straight game
heading into this week's Cameron
Yoe Tournament.
Key Stat
Connally scored the first 10 points of
the game and led 20-4 late in the first
quarter.
Key Play
Connally's 6'2" wing Carlton Thomas
came open on the baseline and
scored the game-winning bucket with
six seconds to play.
Up Next
Lampasas at Cameron Yoe Tournament
Thursday through Sunday.