Playing without seniors Brenson Halford and Tyler Stewart, who were seriously injured in a car accident near Lubbock on Feb. 11, the Hermleigh boys basketball team struggled to contain the Cross Plains duo of Noah Moses and Ryan Reed on Monday night in a 39-34 bi-district upset at McMurry University’s Kimbrell Arena.

Moses and Reed scored 16 and 14 points, respectively, to lead the fourth-seeded Buffaloes, who used a 10-8 run through the fourth quarter to protect a lead that had been trimmed to three points (29-26) heading into the final eight minutes.

In a game that was tight throughout, Cross Plains held the District 14-1A champion Cardinals under 10 points in three of the four quarters to advance to the Region II-1A area round, where it will face off with the winner of Aspermont and Electra later this week.