Bobcat seniors haven’t played their last game yet
The Orangefield Bobcats and the Bridge City Cardinals played for the fourth time this basketball season, and they had another barn burner Friday night in The Grove at LC-M High School. The Cardinals inbounded the ball needing a basket to win the game with just three seconds left, but the Bobcats got a steal at midcourt to clinch the victory 37-36.
Orangefield (4-7) earned a spot in the playoffs with the play-in victory. Bridge City (3-8) saw their season come to an end.
The win appeared certain when Orangfield took a four-point lead 37-33 on Aven Lathrop’s fourth three-pointer of the night with just over a minute left. Lathrop had a chance to add to that lead, but later he missed the front end of a one-and-one.
The Cardinals got the rebound and quickly moved it down court. Sophomore Coy Bryant then hoisted a three-pointer that hit nothing but net and like that it was a one-point game.
Neither team could get a bucket late. The Bobcats did a good job passing quickly preventing the Cardinals from getting a foul to send Orangefield to the free throw line. Finally, Tyrone Wagonner was fouled and went to the free throw line with just three seconds left. Before he could shoot the free throw the referees ruled one of the Bobcats was guilty of a lane violation giving the ball to the Cardinals to inbound.
Noah McFarland inbounded the ball to the Cardinals’ point guard Chason Burch who won an earlier meeting between the two teams with a buzzer beater three. Instead of shooting Burch tried to make a pass, but Lathrop was there to intercept the ball and close out the win.
Lathrop scored 16 points in Orangefield’s 52-47 win last Friday night at Orangefield that forged a tie in the district standings for the two teams. He was the high scorer in the play-in game with 20 points. Lathrop scored eight of the Bobcats’ nine points in the fourth quarter.
Senior Hunter Wiegreffe was stellar in a losing effort for Bridge City. Wiegreffe scored 15 points including two clutch baskets in the fourth quarter, the last of which tied the game at 33. It was Hunter’s fourth game to score in double figures against the Bobcats this season.
With the win Orangefield will play the District 21-4A Champion Shepherd Pirates. The game will be Tuesday night at 7pm in Kountze.
OF 13 12 3 9- 37
BC 12 9 8 7- 36
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Over in Sour Lake, the Bridge City Lady Cardinals lost their second round game to Houston Wheatley 81-44. Silsbee beat North Forest 72-37.
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LCM will play Diboll Monday and WOS will play Jasper on Tuesday. Both games can be heard on KOGT.
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