PHOTO BY RICHARD AKRIDGE Badgers forward Eduardo Davila had a big weekend as Lampasas won back-to-back road games. The senior scored a team-high 18 points at Llano before hitting a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer to beat Westwood. 4-11-21-23-34.

No, it is not a list of the most recent lucky lottery numbers, but it is a winning combination.

Since creating a starting lineup of Manny Lopez, Colton Perkins, Sean Beatty, Eduardo Davila and Brandon Scott, the Badgers varsity basketball team has won four consecutive games. The streak has included a consolation championship title game victory, back-to-back road wins and a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to defeat Westwood.

“They go out there and get us started,” head coach Scott Harrelson said. “I’ve been happy with it, so I’m staying with it.

“They really care about each other. It’s a good group, a really tight-knit group, and they want to win.”

Most recently, the Badgers traveled to Llano, where the starters scored 13 of the team’s 19 first-quarter points before helping guide the squad to its first nontournament road victory at 52-44.

Less than 24 hours later, Lampasas (6-8) was competing in Round Rock, where senior forward Davila drained a last-second 3- pointer to upset Class 5A Westwood by the slimmest of margins, 46-45.

After falling behind by nine points early in the contest while the Warriors hit nine of their first 12 field goals, including three-of-five shooting from behind the arc, the Badgers clawed their way back into the game by the tail end of the fourth quarter.

With 1:30 remaining and Lampasas trailing by six points, Gabe Myles’ shot and Aaron Reyna’s putback sliced the lead to two with 43 seconds left on the clock.

Forced to foul, the Badgers sent Westwood (8-7) to the free-throw line where the player missed both attempts.

After collecting the rebound, the Badgers took the ball down court and ran its offense as it looked for an open player to take a potential game-tying or winning shot.

The ball wound up in Davila’s hands, but his jumper ricocheted off the rim, and a mad scramble ensued.

As time was dwindling, Westwood senior Jeff Reed attempted to run out the clock by tipping the ball out, but Davila reacted by snagging the ball and rapidly releasing a 3-pointer that fell through as time expired.

“I was real pleased with our patience and focus [in] not allowing the game to get away from us,” Harrelson said. “[They] showed a lot of solid teamwork and showed they have the ability to overcome a deficit and fight back.

“I was real pleased with our attitude and confidence. We have come a long way in the last few weeks.”

Along with the final three points of the game, Davila scored 18 points, grabbed three rebounds and had two steals.

Ethan Byers added seven points, and Reyna (3-4 FG) scored six. Scott posted six points, five rebounds, three assists and a steal, while Myles finished with four points, all in the fourth quarter as Lampasas climbed out of its hole.

The prior night, the Badgers used the early outburst from the team’s starters to build a 23-10 lead.

But the Yellowjackets (9-6) refused to concede on their home court, chopping the advantage to two points, 29-27, late in the third

quarter.

Lampasas responded with a 6-0 season run before pushing its lead back to 10 points at 46-36. Llano was forced to foul, and the game turned into a free-throw shooting contest. The Badgers hit enough to win.

Davila led the team with 18 points, including 14 after halftime. All 10 of Byers’ points came in the fourth quarter, and Scott finished with nine points, five rebounds and a block.

Following the game, Harrelson gave credit to his starting five.

“It’s not necessarily my best players, but they are the guys who go out there and get us started,” the coach said. “Then I put in the other group, and hopefully they’ll kick in and get more.”

So far, so good. After his team lost the opening game at the Poteet Aggies Round Ball Roundup Tournament, the coach inserted the new starters, and the group helped lead the Badgers to the consolation championship before picking up their recent victories.

Now, Lampasas will take a lengthy break before returning to the court Dec. 29 for the first day of play at the Cameron Yoe Tournament.

Harrelson hopes the squad can maintain its momentum in the weeks leading up to the district schedule.

“This competition [we are playing] is not Lake Travis, but, at the same time, I don’t care what the competition is, we’ve got to play,” the coach said. “If we can get a good start, we’re going to play with people.”