Benbrook fans got an early Thanksgiving treat Monday afternoon as the Bobcats basketball team stepped back on the court looking to put an end to a two–game slide. The gym was packed with family and friends from both schools, and while the energy was there from the start, the Bobcats needed a moment to settle in.
The first quarter was rough. Benbrook struggled to keep control of the ball, coughing it up almost as fast as the clock could tick. Then things got even stranger. With just over three minutes left in the opening quarter, a ref issued a technical foul to the entire Benbrook bench during a dead ball. No one seemed to know why.
But Abilene Cooper cashed in at the line and stretched their lead, but senior guard Brennan Barton steadied the Bobcats with timely scoring and tough defense. Benbrook closed the quarter down only one, trailing 15 to 16.
The second quarter brought more twists. Both teams traded baskets early, then traded technicals after some heated chatter following a Cooper three. Cooper kept hitting long shots to stay in front, but the Bobcats refused to fold. Even with turnovers again stacking up, Benbrook clawed back and trailed only 31 to 33 at the half.
Whatever was said in the Bobcats locker room during halftime, it worked. The Bobcats came out of halftime with purpose, tightened up their ball handling, and focused on getting high–quality shots. The shift paid off. Benbrook outscored Cooper in the third and took a 53 to 47 lead heading into the final quarter.
From there, the Bobcats took control. Cooper went cold, turnovers piled up on their side, and Benbrook locked in defensively. After a timeout with just under four minutes left, the Bobcats closed it out with confidence.
It was a whole team performance, highlighted by a standout night from Brennan Barton, who finished with 26 points while shooting efficiently at the line (9-10 free throws) and from deep (3-6 threes). Jayden Hall added 12 points, Waylin Barton scored 10, and contributions from Cael Denson, Jayden Bradshaw, Maddox Thompson, and others rounded out the win.
The Bobcats move to 2-2 on the season and now get a short break for Thanksgiving. They return to action Tuesday, December 2, at 7:30 p.m. when they travel to face the South Hills Scorpions.
Benbrook, let’s show up strong and cheer on our Bobcats as they chase their next victory.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.