Category: Boys basketball

by Brandon McAuliffe

UPDATED: Cooper assistant Bacon tabbed to succeed Conover as Coogs new basketball coach

Abilene ISD didn’t have to look far to find Bryan Conover’s replacement as the Cooper boys basketball coach.

Tuesday morning, first-year AISD Athletic Director Jim Garfield introduced Michael Bacon as the Cougars new coach, tabbing one of Conover’s assistants for the position.

The popularity of the hire was evident at his introductory press conference in AISD’s administration building as former players of Bacon’s from previous head coaching jobs were in attendance, one driving in from Lubbock, as were ACU coach Brette Tanner and McMurry coach Zach Pickelman.

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by Evan Ren

Evan Ren’s 2023 Gym Rat Team: The hardest-working players in the Big Country!

Following a basketball program on the surface can only provide one with so much insight. Behind the scenes, however, is where character is often measured. And it is with our Gym Rat Team that we wish to tip our caps to those individuals who exuded the most of it. 

This team isn’t about who the best players are, though some of the area’s top players did make this list. 

The Gym Rat team is about effort, discipline, toughness, coachability and selflessness — traits that coaches love above all else and that championship foundations are built upon.

It is for that reason that our Gym Rat team is selected entirely by area coaches, described in their own words. And Big Country Preps is absolutely honored to present these individuals to you — the best “team players” (boys and girls) that the area had to offer during the 2022-23 season.

Players are listed in no particular order. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

2023 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Superlatives: Williams, Rigdon, Raschke, Reed and Bleiker claim awards

Here are our superlative award winners for the 2023 All-Big Country Preps girls basketball team. For the rest of this year’s girls and boys basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2023 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Team: First-Team Roster

Here are our first-team selections for the 2023 All-Big Country Preps boys basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2023 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Team: Second-Team Roster

Here are our second-team selections for the 2023 All-Big Country Preps boys basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Daniel Youngblood

2023 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Team: Third-Team Roster (w/ honorable mention)

Here are our third-team selections for the 2023 All-Big Country Preps boys basketball team. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Evan Ren

2023 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Rising Stars Team, the top freshmen and sophomores in the area!

Here is our 2023 All-Big Country Preps Boys Basketball Rising Stars Team, comprised of the top freshmen and sophomores in the area. For the rest of this year’s boys and girls basketball selections, click the links below.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

BREAKING: Conover stepping down as Cooper boys basketball coach

Citing a desire to get to be a parent and enjoy watching his son, Cooper boys basketball coach Bryan Conover announced on Wednesday that he’s stepping down from his post.

It was a move he said he knew he was going to make going into the season, which culminated with a playoff berth as the Cougars went 18-13 and finished as the District 4-5A runner-up.

While tough, the decision wasn’t one that Conover struggled to make.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Top-ranked Graford holds off No. 2 Jayton in OT to repeat as Class 1A champs

SAN ANTONIO — Entering the Class 1A state championship game, neither top-ranked Graford or No. 2 Jayton had been beaten by a team in their own classification.

At the end of four quarters Saturday morning at the Alamodome, that was still true.

But after the teams had traded punches on their way to a stalemate in regulation, the Jackrabbits outscored the Jaybirds 8-3 in overtime to hold off Jayton for a 49-44 win and claim their second consecutive state title.

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by Daniel Youngblood

CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: No. 2 Jayton ready to test mettle against top-ranked Graford

Ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively, for most of the season, the Graford and Jayton boys basketball teams surprised no one by reaching the Class 1A state championship game.

But in pulling away to double-digit semifinal wins on Thursday, the Jackrabbits and Jaybirds set up a title game matchup that should prove quite a treat for small-school basketball fans.

Graford, the defending Class 1A state champion, brings with it to Saturday’s 8:30 a.m. clash a 36-3 record that features losses only to ranked larger school squads from North Hopkins, Lipan and Holliday. Jayton, at 37-2, has lost only to larger school playoff teams from Sweetwater and Reagan County.

Combined, the two have rolled through every Class 1A opponent put in front of them, adding just a little more intrigue to a matchup Jayton coach Ryan Bleiker called “a really exciting game.”

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Jayton defense shuts down McMullen County, sends Jaybirds to title game

SAN ANTONIO — The Jayton Jaybirds were concerned about navigating their way through a trapping defense from Tilden McMullen County in Thursday’s Class 1A state semifinal. And as it turned out, their worries were legitimate after being forced into 14 giveways.

Jayton, however, had an answer — limiting the Cowboys to only 29.2 percent shooting (14-48) to negate the extra possessions in a 46-36 win at the Alamodome. 

Nathaniel Williams scored a game-high 26 points and Sean Stanaland added eight more to lead Jayton (38-2), which will face top-ranked defending state champion Graford in the title game at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. 

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Graford uses big fourth quarter to end Benjmin’s dream season in San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO — The Benjamin Mustangs had the environment they wanted while making their debut at the UIL Boys Basketball State Championships against Graford on Thursday — an up-tempo, guard-oriented game with the ball often changing hands near the midcourt area. 

There was just one problem: The Mustangs fell victim to too many of their own unforced errors to take advantage of the situation, falling to the defending state champions in a 66-42 state semifinal loss. 

Christian Shea scored 18 points, Brad Lemley added 17 and Colin Roberts had 14 to lead Graford (34-3), which advances to face Jayton (38-2) for the Class 1A state title at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. Leading 41-35 heading into the final quarter, the Jackrabbits blew open what had been a competitive game with a 25-7 tally through the final eight minutes. 

Benjamin closed its season at 21-2, led by a game-high 36 points from Grayson Rigdon. 

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by Evan Ren

CLASS 1A STATE SEMIFINAL PREVIEW: Jayton, Benjamin head to San Antonio pursuing title

SAN ANTONIO — In terms of style and experience, you’d be hard-pressed to find a wider variance than the Big Country’s two representatives — Jayton and Benjamin — at this year’s UIL Boys Basketball State Championships. 

But while their approaches are radically different, the success rate of each is nearly the same.

For Jayton, the big stage is nothing new. The defensive-minded, balanced-scoring Jaybirds, who qualified for their eighth regional in nine seasons this year, are now making their third appearance at state since 2019. For coach Ryan Bleiker, this is his fourth trip to a state semi, having also guided Rule there in 2008.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Jayton relies on defense to stop Lorenzo in Region I-1A Championship

lORENZOLEVELLAND — With Lorenzo breathing down their necks for 32 straight minutes, the Jayton Jaybirds turned to an old friend to punch their ticket to San Antonio in Saturday’s Region I-1A championship game.

Defense, both timely and consistent, remained in the Jaybirds’ corner, lifting them to a 56-47 win at South Plains College. 

Nathaniel Williams scored a game-high 26 points while Sean Stanaland and Griff Reel added seven apiece to lead Jayton (37-2) which will face Tilden McMullen County (37-2) at 10 a.m. on Thursday in the Class 1A State Semifinals in the Alamodome. The winner will face either Benjamin (21-1) or Graford (35-3) in Saturday’s state championship game at 8:30 a.m. 

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Brock drops overtime heartbreaker to Childress in Region I-3A title game

WOLFFORTH — Playing their third game this week to go to down to the final minute, the Brock Eagles finally ran out of late-game magic Saturday in a 56-55 overtime loss to Childress in the Region I-3A championship game. 

After defeating Vernon 40-36 on Monday in a region quarterfinal matchup that was tied with just over two minutes remaining and getting a bucket just before the horn to win an overtime thriller over Shallowater in Friday’s region semifinals, BHS couldn’t get a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to fall against Childress on Saturday, seeing its season end one basket short of a state tournament berth for the second consecutive year.

The 10th-ranked Eagles closed their campaign at 29-10, while the No. 5 Bobcats (27-7) earned a trip to San Antonio next week, joining Hooks, No. 2 Hitchcock and No. 7 Lytle in the Class 3A state field.

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by Yale Youngblood, Special to Big Country Preps

GAME STORY: Top-ranked Graford pulls away from Huckabay in second half of III-1A title game

MANSFIELD — Huckabay boys basketball coach Dustin Hargrove knew coming into the Indians’ Region III-1A championship game with No. 1-ranked Graford on Saturday that his team would have a looming mountain to climb to get to the state tournament.

He was right.

And, just as had been the case the previous evening, when the Jackrabbits’ 6-foot-8 center Colin Roberts stood taller than anyone in the tournament semifinals — both literally and figuratively — the celebrated senior proved too much for yet another opponent to overcome.

Saturdays’ numbers told a compelling story of why Graford, the defending Class 1A state champion, is 35-3 and still playing and why Huckabay’s storybook 30-7 season came to an end on the court at Mansfield High School:

The Jackrabbits won the game, 43-34, and Roberts’ individual effort was, without question, the major reason why. He scored 24 points, grabbed nine rebounds and consistently plugged up the middle of the Graford zone defense, which rendered the game Indians’ offense frustrated possession after possession. 

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Rigdon’s 44 points sends Benjamin to first state tournament

SNYDER — For the first time in school history, the Benjamin Mustangs are headed to the Class 1A boys basketball state tournament after they beat Garden City 59-52 on Saturday afternoon at The Coliseum.

Benjamin, ranked No. 19 in the state, followed up Friday’s upset of No. 4 Irion County by taking down the seventh-ranked Bearkats in the Region II-1A final.

Grayson Rigdon, who was named tournament MVP, scored 44 points in the win.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Disastrous first half dooms Munday in II-1A semifinals loss to Garden City

SNYDER — It was just one of those days for the Munday Moguls on Friday in their Region II-1A semifinal matchup with No. 7 Garden City.

Making its first region tournament appearances since 2013, MHS could do no right in the first half and the Bearkats could do no wrong.

After allowing the game’s first 15 points and falling behind 38-8 by halftime, the 20th-ranked Moguls looked much more like themselves in the second half. But the damage was long since done by that point in a 54-34 loss.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Fast start propels feisty Benjamin Mustangs past No. 4 Irion County, into II-1A final

SNYDER — Playing the defending Region II-1A champion and fourth-ranked Irion County Hornets in the opening game of their first regional tournament in program history, it was the No. 19 Benjamin Mustangs who looked like state tournament veterans Friday at The Coliseum. 

BHS raced out to a quick 10-0 lead and answered every Irion County run from there to claim a 67-52 wire-to-wire victory over a Hornets squad that was widely considered to be the region favorite again this year.

The win, which might have come as a surprise to some, was no such thing for the Mustangs, who will play for their first state berth at 2 p.m. Saturday against No. 7 Garden City, which defeated Munday 54-34 in Friday’s other semifinal matchup.

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by Evan Ren

GAME STORY: Jayton creates unHappy evening for Cowboys in 61-42 regional win

LEVELLAND — Few expected unranked Happy to reach a regional tournament and perhaps even fewer gave the Cowboys a shot at topping second-ranked Jayton in Friday’s Region I-1A semifinal at South Plains College. 

Whatever pregame doubts may have existed, Jayton quickly put a stop to all of them by gaining a permanent upperhand in the opening quarter on the way to a 61-42 win. 

Ben Blankenship scored 14 points and Sean Stanaland added 12 more to lead Jayton (36-2), which will face No. 15 Lorenzo (26-10) for the regional title on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. 

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by Yale Youngblood, Special to Big Country Preps

GAME STORY: No. 1 Graford too much for youthful Gordon in Region III-1A semifinals

MANSFIELD — Should the Graford Jackrabbits be fortunate enough to hang a second consecutive Class 1A state championship banner on the gymnasium wall this winter, they should probably assign the task to Colin Roberts. Friday night, he certainly stood tall enough to manage that feat and many others.

Despite missing a good stretch of the second half in foul trouble, the Jackrabbits’ 6-foot-8 talented center scored 20 points and collected 12 rebounds to lead Graford to a 61-37 win over upstart Gordon. As a result, the consensus “team to beat” heading into the Region III-1A semifinals, is likely the team to beat in Saturday’s final, when Graford meets Huckabay at 2 p.m. at Mansfield High School after the Indians defeated Dodd City 56-44 in overtime.

Gordon started four freshmen against the Jackrabbits, a collective David vs. the giant that is Roberts. And, while the Longhorns battled gamely for a quarter, Graford’s big man, along with ample assistance from teammate Brad Lemley (17 points and 12 rebounds, as well), proved too much for the region’s Cinderella. Graford outscored Gordon 49-25 over the final three periods to take another step at earning the big trophy that is awarded the state’s best team at the end of the season.

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by Yale Youngblood, Special to Big Country Preps

GAME STORY: Huckabay rallies past Dodd City in OT, earns title game matchup with Graford

MANSFIELD — Payton Gill scored 18 points — 15 from outside the 3-point arc — and Huckabay shook off a slow start to outlast Dodd City 56-44 in overtime in the Region III-1A semifinals Friday night. 

The Indians outscored the Hornets 14-2 in the extra session to earn a spot in the regional finals at 2 p.m. Saturday against powerful Graford, which blitzed Gordon 61-37 in the other semifinal game at Mansfield High School.

The triumph wasn’t as one-sided as the final score might indicate, though.

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by Daniel Youngblood

BIG COUNTRY BOYS BASKETBALL REGIONAL PREVIEW: Six Big Country Preps teams remain

After four months of intense and entertaining action, the high school boys basketball season is nearing its end. But for six teams in the Big Country Preps coverage area, the most important games remain in front of them.

With Brock in the Region I-3A tournament and five area Class 1A teams — Jayton, Benjamin, Munday, Huckabay and Gordon — spread across three regions, there’s still plenty of meaningful basketball to be played.

And with two more wins, any of those six could be headed to San Antonio next week for the state tournament.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

Cross Plains’ Cosby leaves hardwood legacy behind as he moves full-time into administrative role

All good things must come to an end, and for the Cross Plains boys basketball team, the end is the tenure of Dade Cosby leading the program.

On Tuesday, Cosby announced that he was stepping down from the program that he’s been part of for nearly a decade in order to focus on his other job — being the superintendent of the school district.

His coaching career came to a close with a 53-35 loss to Aspermont in the area round of the playoffs on Friday night.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Rigdon, Benjamin use hot third quarter to knock off Knox City

STAMFORD — Benjamin’s Grayson Rigdon has been the most prolific scorer in the Big Country this year by a wide margin as he averaged 40.4 points per game during the regular season.

Tuesday night, he put his skills on display in the Region II-1A quarterfinals and propelled the No. 19 Mustangs into the regional tournament with a 42-point effort in Benjamin’s 72-43 win over Knox City.

It was a 13-0 run over the first three minutes of the second half that helped the Mustangs put the Greyhounds away.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Munday outlasts Aspermont for first regional tournament berth since 2003

The first time Adrian Daniel coached in regional quarterfinal game at his alma mater, McMurry University, the Munday boys basketball team saw a 32-25 third-quarter lead evaporate in a 53-39 loss to Jayton in 2019.

Facing a similar situation Tuesday on the same floor, the Moguls got the job done against Aspermont.

Leading 25-13 after a half and, as fate would have it, 32-25 after three quarters, Daniel’s squad saw a 12-point advantage with 6:21 remaining trimmed to three with 45 seconds to play. But Munday made the stops and free throws it needed down the stretch to escape with a 50-46 win and advance to the regional tournament for the first time since 2013.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: 10th-ranked Brock boys hold off Vernon rally, advance to Region I-3A tournament

GRAHAM — Facing off in the Region I-3A quarterfinals with an athletic Vernon squad that had cruised through its first two playoff tests, the Brock boys basketball team knew it would get all the Lions had Monday at the Graham High School gymnasium. 

But as it turned out, the 10th-ranked Eagles had just a little bit more.

After stretching a 23-20 halftime lead to eight points early in the fourth quarter, BHS saw Vernon rally to tie the game at 36 with just over two minutes remaining. But rather than panic as the tension and noise level rose, the Eagles responded with a game-closing 4-0 run to take a 40-36 win and advance to the Region I-3A tournament for the seventh consecutive year and 12th time since 2010. 

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by Evan Ren

BIG COUNTRY PREPS PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Big Spring senior chalks up four victories and our weekly award

It’s always a good sign early in the season when you’re getting good pitching against quality competition. And in the case of the Big Spring Lady Steers, the numbers in the circle thus far are downright encouraging. 

Courtesy of senior Alexcia Munoz, the Lady Steers are off to a 5-1 start, including a 4-0 mark from Munoz in last week’s Abilene Icebreaker tournament.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Athletic Vernon too much for Brady in area round

ANSON — The Brady boys basketball team pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the state in the opening round of the postseason with a 42-37 win over District 6-3A champion San Angelo TLCA on Tuesday night.

It left many people wondering what the Bulldogs would do as an encore, especially since they were playing with house money when taking on No. 25 Vernon on Friday at Anson’s Tiger Gymnasium.

Another upset was not in the cards for the Bulldogs, who were held scoreless until midway through the second quarter as Vernon ran away with a 67-36 win.

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by Brandon McAuliffe

GAME STORY: Slow start dooms Cross Plains in area round loss

ANSON — The Cross Plains Buffaloes started the postseason off with an upset win over Hermleigh on Tuesday night.

There would be no repeat of that magic in the area round with the Buffaloes giving up the first 14 points of the game on their way to a 53-35 loss to Aspermont at Tiger Gymnasium on Friday night.

The slow start was something that coach Dade Cosby’s team wasn’t able to overcome, but they never stopped fighting.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Snyder boys shut down Stephenville in second half to claim 41-38 bi-district win

Not much separated the Snyder and Stephenville boys basketball teams in their Region I-4A bi-district matchup Tuesday at McMurry’s Kimbrell Arena.

Three points, to be exact.

In a evenly-matched game that close throughout, the Tigers escaped with a 41-38 win that wasn’t decided until the final buzzer, shortly before which Payton Poston’s game-tying 3-point attempt bounced off the rim and out, finally allowing the Snyder coaches and players to exhale and eventually celebrate.

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by Daniel Youngblood

GAME STORY: Westbrook uses third-quarter run to pull away from Rising Star

Third-seeded Rising Star gave the District 13-1A runner-up Westbrook Wildcats all they wanted in Monday’s Region II-1A bi-district matchup at McMurry’s Kimbrell Arena, but ultimately, coach Homer Matlock’s team was just a little too much in a 49-40 victory.

Leading by one point after a quarter and two points at halftime, WHS used a 14-8 run through the third quarter to create the separation it needed to pull away for the win and advance to the area round, where it will face the winner between Knox City and Crowell later this week.

Junior guard Parker Matlock fueled the effort for Westbrook, tying a game high with 18 points, while Grayson Jeffrey hit three of the Wildcats’ seven 3-pointers to overcome a game effort by Rising Star.

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