Raiders fire first salvo

Posted 12/30/21

With two teams as closely matched in talent as the Mineola Yellowjackets and Winnsboro Red Raiders one should expect an excellent basketball game. Both teams came through and provided a great …

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Raiders fire first salvo

Posted

With two teams as closely matched in talent as the Mineola Yellowjackets and Winnsboro Red Raiders one should expect an excellent basketball game. Both teams came through and provided a great competition early in the Christmas week at Winnsboro. 

After building a lead in a back-and-forth game, Winnsboro had an answer every time Mineola looked to rally and handed the visitors a 54-44 defeat in the Mineola’s district opener. 

At the outset and using some obvious home court advantage, Winnsboro quickly built a double digit lead.  

Nearing the quarter break, T.J. Moreland hit back-to-back jumpers in the lane – the second following a nice Dawson Pendergrass steal in the defensive zone – and Mineola came back. Moreland added a beautiful left-handed drive and Conner Gibson hit a jumper in the final seconds to make the score 16-11 Winnsboro after one quarter.

The Jackets continued their comeback in the second quarter. Moreland opened with a 3-pointer. He then dished an assist to Stephen Ogueri for a score and Gibson scored a 3-pointer from the top of the key. Midway through the quarter, Mineola had taken a 19-17 lead.

Using nice creativity in the offensive zone, Winnsboro went on a nine-point run. The Jackets managed just two points in the closing minutes of the half and went to the break trailing 30-21.

The Raiders went up by a dozen in the third period. Coach Ryan Steadman whistled a time out and the Jackets regrouped. The teams traded scores and going into the final period, the Raiders were up 42-31. 

It took nearly four minutes for either side to register a score in the fourth quarter. Xzavien Lipscomb then scored twice, the second coming on an offensive rebound put-back, and Pendergrass added a dunk on a turnover from the press. Mineola had closed to five points. 

The Raiders netted four field goals in the closing minutes, while Mineola mustered only one. Winnsboro used a mid-range jumper, an offensive rebound put-back, a steal and score and a break of the press to thwart the Jackets in the final minutes.

Moreland led Mineola scorers with 21 points. He was joined on the scoresheet by Lipscomb (7), Pendergrass (6), Gibson (5), Ogueri (3) and Bradyn Alley (2).

Tuesday Jan. 25, the rematch in Mineola should already be circled on the calendar. It promises to be a barn-burner.