Playing without head coach Gregg Ruffin and assistant Jody Harvey, who were unavailable for Friday’s nondistrict game against Aledo, the Wylie boys basketball team still managed to outlast the Bearcats for a 42-33 victory at Bulldog Gym.

With assistant Seth Carroll stepping in as acting head coach, the Bulldogs overcame a nine-point first half to take control of the game in third quarter, before holding off a late challenge in the fourth to improve to 12-11 on the season.

Wylie, which was was also without guards Dylan Jennings and Kazion Brown, outscored Aledo 19-2 in the the first eight minutes out of halftime to turn a 17-9 deficit at the break into a 28-19 lead by the start of the fourth quarter.