East Texas scholastic basketball produces some unique moments. For senior Kelby Bruner, last Tuesday’s win in Lone Oak represented a career night as the Yellowjacket forward scored the first 14 points of the game. Mineola crushed the Buffaloes 76-31 to remain undefeated in district play. 

An active forward with good basketball sense and a soft jump shot, Bruner scored the opening basket with a short jumper in the lane. A turnover on the press fed him for his second bucket. He put back an offensive rebound and was fouled for a 3-point play. Receiving an assist from Wiley Franks, Bruner converted another 3-point play. Two baskets on fast breaks ran the score to 14-0 in the first three minutes. 

The Jackets never looked back. The energy and effort exhibited by every player who stepped on the court was as good as they have had all year. There was no indecisiveness on the offensive side, nor any daydreaming on defense. It was a complete game. 

Although Bruner led the team with 22 points, contributions in the win came from every man on the roster. Of note, Andrew Stinchfield scored in double figures, while Kaleb Griffin and De’Vante Stephens logged meaningful minutes.

Some may point out that the Lone Oak Buffaloes do not represent the quality opponent which is needed to sharpen skills. On the contrary, focusing a team to compete effectively, with no let down, is a huge challenge in high school sports. Coach Steadman’s Yellowjackets ran away with the score, but the real value in the win was the excellent attention to detail exhibited by his team.