Burkett freebies sink Bryan

THE WOODLANDS, Texas – Sophomore Cameron Burkett hit a pair of free throws with 9.91 seconds left in the game to lift The Woodlands High School boys’ basketball team to a hard-fought 43-40 victory Tuesday over visiting Bryan.

The win, coupled with College Park’s 52-42 victory Tuesday at Lufkin, sets up a 7 p.m. Friday Showdown II at College Park. The Cavaliers won the first meeting between the two schools and maintains a one-game lead over the Highlanders.

NOTE: There will be NO tickets sold at the door Friday. All tickets must be picked up in advance at either school. The schedule for ticket sales is as follows:

Wednesday: Junior and Senior students will be able to buy tickets.
Thursday: Freshman and Sophomore students will be able to buy tickets.
Friday: The general public will be able to buy tickets.

Tickets will be sold first come, first served. Ticket prices are $3 for adults and $2 for students.

Both sub-varsity games Friday will be played in the side gyms. When those games are over, the gyms will be cleared and then doors reopen at 6:15 p.m.

The Woodlands (23-7, 9-1) never could seem to put away Bryan at home Tuesday. The Highlanders maintained a small lead for most of the contest but it took Burkett’s clutch free throws at the end to win it.

“We were 5-for-11 at halftime from the free-throw line but yet when we had to have two made, Cameron Burkett steps up and makes both of them, which changes the whole complexity of the game,” said Highlanders coach Dale Reed.

“If we’re only up 1 and they have the ball, they’re going straight to the rim. They’re probably going to get a basket and we’re going to lose. But because we made both, now they have to look for a 3, which is what they don’t want to do. It changes everything and that’s why we win.”

Cody Mason led a sputtering offense with nine points and Shane Moran added eight more. Burkett and Xavier Valdes both scored seven points while Aaron Kovach finished with six points. Garrett Smith scored four points and Zach Manning added two.

“Our offense struggled a little bit,” Reed said. “That’s kind of who we are. We definitely struggle here and there. But I love our competitiveness.”