T.K. Gorman Crusader's Ben Ashworth drives around Lindale's Mason Terry during Thursday's game at the Hoop Heaven Tournament at Eagle Gymnasium in Lindale. (Vanessa E. Curry | Tyler Morning Telegraph)

LINDALE — In an early-season clash of unbeaten teams, it was Robert E. Lee that stayed that way.

The Red Raiders locked down North Forney in the second and fourth periods while senior Taylor Tankersley scored 26 points in a 48-32 win Thursday at Eagle Gymnasium.

Lee (6-0) advanced to the semifinals of the Lindale Hoop Heaven Tournament against host Lindale on Friday. The Eagles defeated Bishop Gorman, 49-44.

North Forney (4-1) shot 50 percent from the floor in the opening period, but REL limited the Falcons to 8 for 29 shooting (.275) the rest of the game.

“I love the defense,” said Lee coach Alan Johnston. “I’ve been saying it for a while: We may not be the greatest athletes around, but the kids get down and get after it.”

Tankersley finished one rebound shy of a double-double and he also had four steals. Jack Calhoun hit 3-pointers in the first and fourth periods with REL connecting on six from beyond the arc.

North Forney also drained six treys with five different players doing the honors, led by Armani Watts, who led the Falcons with nine points.

Both teams began the game on fire with REL matching North Forney’s shooting to lead 14-13 entering the second period.

The Falcons tied the game at 16-16 in the early minutes of the second period on a trey from Roy Neugent.

Lee’s defense coupled with North Forney going ice cold offensively enabled REL to finish the half on a 9-0 run to lead 25-16 at halftime.

“We made a couple adjustments (on defense) after the first period,” Johnston said. “They beat someone last week by 69 points because they go-go-go, and we knew we had to get back and keep them in front of us.

“I thought we handled everything about the game defensively (we needed to).”

North Forney sliced REL’s lead to seven points, 37-30, with 5:25 to play, but Tankersley and Calhoun combined to help Lee respond with an 11-2 run to close out the win.

Lindale 49, Bishop Gorman 44

LINDALE — The host Lindale Eagles had their hands full in the first-round game Thursday night against the Bishop Gorman Crusaders, but a strong fourth quarter brought the Eagles back for a thrilling 49-44 win in the final game of day one in the Hoop Heaven Tournament.

Lindale’s Mason Terry finished as the game’s high-point man with 17 points. Brian Boaz added 12 points inside for the Eagles (2-3) while grabbing eight rebounds.

The Crusaders (3-4) were paced in scoring by Goforth with 13-points while Brandon Lackner added 10 points. Gorman point guard Ben Ashworth, although held to only eight points, led the Crusaders at the point while drawing double teams all night.

In the final quarter, Terry scored two baskets and two free throws in vital spots to lead the Eagles to the win.

Gorman’s Mitchell Rainey scored all five of his points in the first period, building a five-point cushion with a lay-in and a 3-pointer in the final minute for a 13-8 lead after one quarter.

Lindale trailed 31-26 before rallying in the fourth quarter.

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Lindale Hoop Heaven

Girls Bracket

Thursday Scores

Brownsboro 36, Kilgore 32

Pine Tree 47, Bullard 28

Athens 63, Henderson 51

Lindale 51, Chapel Hill 28

Friday’s Schedule

Game 5: Kilgore vs. Bullard, 9 a.m.

Game 6: Brownsboro vs. Pine Tree, noon.

Game 7: Chapel Hilll vs. Henderson, 3:30 p.m.

Game 8: Lindale vs. Athens, 6 p.m.

 

Girls Boxes

Brownsboro 36, Kilgore 32

Kilgore            5     8  10  9 — 32

Brownsboro 10  12   4  10 — 36

KILGORE — Mehringer, 4; Burks, 19; Rossum, 2; Williams, 5; Thomas, 2.

BROWNSBORO — Cavek, 1; Bagby, 9; Hightown, 10; Alexander, 1; Montgomery, 3; Warren, 12.

THREE POINT GOALS — K: Mehringer, Williams. B: None.

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Pine Tree 47, Bullard 28

Bullard        9   6      8   5 — 28

Pine Tree 19  11  10   7 — 47

BULLARD — Taylor, 19; Abercrombie, 1; Kirgan, 7; Anderson, 1.

PINE TREE — Patterson, 1; Clayton, 4; Holmes, 22; Richard, 2; Mitchell, 14; Jones, 4.

THREE POINT GOALS — B: Taylor. PT: Mitchell (2).

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Athens 63, Henderson 51

Henderson     14   10  19  8 — 51

Athens             20  16   14  13 — 63

HENDERSON — Jackson, 7; Stewart, 12; Neal, 8; Smith, 2; McElhanon, 5; Pegues, 3; Partin, 8; Lee, 6.

ATHENS — McNeece, 2; Barker, 3; Aguilera, 9; Demi Cumby, 43; Lawrence, 4; Sims, 2.

THREE POINT GOALS — H: None. A: Cumby (2).

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Lindale 51, Chapel Hill 28

Chapel Hill    8   0   10  10 — 28

Lindale        13   8   16  14  — 51

CHAPEL HILL — Campbell, 10; Battles, 2; Brooks, 4; Ross, 9.

LINDALE — Murphy, 2; H. Malone, 7; N. Malone, 6; Brookins, 5; Doss, 10; Geathers, 19; Brown, 2.

THREE POINT GOALS — CH: Campbell. L: H. Malone, Brookins, Doss.

 

Boys Bracket

Thursday Scores

Whitehouse 65, Pine Tree 41

Robert E. Lee 48, North Forney 32

Spring Hill 54, Lufkin Hudson 37

Lindale 49, Bishop Gorman 44

Friday’s Schedule

Gorman vs. North Forney, 10:30 a.m.

Pine Tree vs. Hudson, 3:30 p.m.

Whitehouse vs. Spring Hill, 4:30 p.m.

Lee vs. Lindale, 7:30 p.m.

 

Boys Boxes

Robert E. Lee 48, North Forney 32

Robert E. Lee     14   11   11   12 — 48

North Forney       13   3      9     7 — 32

ROBERT E. LEE — Jack Calhoun, 7; Austin Fleet, 0; Luke Derfus, 0; Darriun Smallwood, 0; Christian Boone, 3; Taylor Tankersley, 26; Will Dougherty, 2; Caleb Johnston, 2; Tucker Boyd, 4; Justin DeSalvo, 4. FG: 17-35. FT: 8-12.

NORTH FORNEY — Breylon Jordan, 3; Tyrel Choice, 0; Armani Watts, 9; Alec Harris, 2; Roy Neugent, 8; J.R. Woods, 5; Hunter Hartley, 5; Jabari Ottun, 0. FG: 13-39. FT: 0-0.

THREE POINT GOALS — REL (6-15): Calhoun (2), Tankerlsey (4). NF (6-19): Jordan, Watts, Neugent (2), Woods, Hartley.

RECORDS — Robert E. Lee 6-0; North Forney 4-1.

NEXT UP — Lee vs. Lindale-Gorman, 7:30 p.m.; North Forney vs. Lindale-Gorman

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Whitehouse 65, Pine Tree 41

Pine Tree         8     9   14  10 — 41

Whitehouse   12  19  15    21 — 65

PINE TREE — Hawkins, 5; Hays, 4; Rayburn, 4; Chumley, 19; Hines, 9.

WHITEHOUSE — Patterson, 5; Neel, 4; Mahomes, 15; Dews, 6; Parker, 10; Cheatham, 2; Stickley, 7; Cantrell, 6; Shaw, 8; Dunning, 2.

THREE POINT GOALS — PT: None. WH: Patterson, Shaw (2).

———

Spring Hill 54, Lufkin Hudson 37

Hudson      14   9     8    6 — 37

Spring Hill   5  13  12  24 — 54

HUDSON — Bernius, 6; Finley, 4; England, 8; Simmons, 12; Berry, 3; Zaher, 4.

SPRING HILL — A. Lattier, 5; Garska, 2; Womack, 7; Williams, 2; C. Lattier, 15; Phelon, 6; Patterson, 4; Brundrett, 13.

THREE POINT GOALS — H: Bernius, Simmons. SH: Phelon (2).

———

Lindale 49, Bishop Gorman 44

Gorman 13 11 10 10 — 44

Lindale 8 18 7 16 — 49

GORMAN — Patrick Droder,2; Mitchell Rainey, 5; Sean Goforth, 13; Chris Danly, 1; Alex McKinley, 2; Brandon Lackner, 10; Adam Aucar, 2; Ben Ashworth, 8.

LINDALE — Mason Terry, 17; Dakota Heinaman 1; Kolton Pierce, 2; Garret SirLouis 3; Connor Lind 9; Brian Boaz, 10; Jacob Capo 9.

THREE-POINT GOALS — BG: Goforth (2), Rainey. L: Terry (3), SirLouis.

RECORDS — Gorman 3-4. Lindale 2-3.

NEXT UP — Lindale vs. Robert E. Lee, 7:30 p.m. today; Gorman vs. North Forney, 10:30 a.m. today.