John Tyler put gridrion business on hold and exacted revenge on the basketball court.
Tyus Bowser posted a team-high 17 points and JT avenged a costly loss to Corsicana earlier in district with a 57-47 win over the Tigers in the second meeting Tuesday at the Lions Den.
Bowser missed the first game against Corsicana, as did fellow all-district teammates Darion Flowers, Fred Ross and Greg Ward, while away on football recruiting visits.
Five members of the JT basketball team are set to sign letters of intent today to play football at the next level. Bowser and Ward are slated to ink with Houston, Ross with Mississippi State, Flowers with Sam Houston State, and Hart with Tarleton State.
The quintet combined for 35 points, 18 rebounds and 12 assists for the Lions. Sophomore Isaac Warren sparked JT with 12 points and five steals.
JT improved to 6-2 in district play, firmly in second but likely too far to catch first-place Jacksonville.
“It’s a huge difference,” JT coach Cedeno Clark said of having a full complement of players. “The last game we were missing about 50 points. You could see the difference in the outcome.”
The Lions grabbed the lead for good on a putback by Ross in the first period. Jordan Caldwell canned a 3-pointer moments later for a 9-5 differential.
JT pulled away with an 8-0 run early in the third, featuring back-to-back 3-pointers from Warren, resulting in a 29-17 disparity.
Bowser, a 6-3 senior who will sign for football and look to play basketball, found the hoop three times in a 56-second span in the fourth, going the distance for a breakaway dunk, powering his way inside for two points, and taking a rebound the length of the floor for a 48-30 cushion. The JT lead reached 19 midway through the fourth period before Corsicana came on strong at the end.
The Lions hit six of 14 3-pointers (43 percent) after going 0 for 19 from long range in the first meeting with Corsicana, a 60-46 loss.
Corsicana shot 33 percent against JT’s tight pressure.
“Defensive-wise we pretty much contained them,” Clark said. “That was pretty much the key.”
The Lions turned up the pace in a 36-point second half after taking a 21-17 lead into the locker rooms.
“I like our chances when we’re able to get our transition game going,” Clark added. “That gets kids more into and the crowd more into it.”
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John Tyler 57, Corsicana 47
Corsicana 7 10 8 22 - 47
John Tyler 11 10 16 20 - 57
CORSICANA - Dzifa Mallett, 7; Mike Lewis, 15; Danair Martin, 2; Tedrick Wilson, 3; Ernest McGhee, 6; Lathan Carter, 2; Alonzo Gibson, 2; Jamaal Evans, 10. FG 18-54 FT 4-7.
JOHN TYLER - Darion Flowers, 2; Greg Ward, 9; Jordan Caldwell, 5; Isaac Warren, 12; Fred Ross, 5; Elliott Hart, 2; William Vaughn, 3; Tyus Bowser, 17; Hennessey Lampkin, 2. FG 20-5 FT 11-14.
Three-Point Goals - Corsicana 7-20 (Lewis 5, Mallett, Wilson), John Tyler 6-14 (Warren 3, Ward, Caldwell, Bowser). Rebounds - Corsicana 36 (Mallett 9), John Tyler 33 (Bowser 5). Assists - Corsicana 3 (Mallett, Lang, Lewis), John Tyler 12 (Ward 4). Total Fouls - Corsicana 14, John Tyler 12.
RECORDS - John Tyler 12-14 (6-2).
NEXT UP - John Tyler at Lindale, 7:30 p.m. Friday.