Broncos feel right at home, beat Tors in debut of new gym
Published 8:30 pm Saturday, January 30, 2021
- Photo Credit
Rodrick Anderson
MOSS BLUFF — After falling behind by 10 points, the Sam Houston Broncos settled into their defensive game plan Friday to open their new gym with a 58-46 District 3-5A win over Sulphur.
“We are definitely excited,” Sam Houston head coach Rob Acord said. “We think that it is big for the community.
“It is obviously beautiful and great to come in here against your rival and get a W.”
Down 21-11 with just over a minute left in the first quarter, Acord called a timeout and challenged the Broncos to step their defensive play and the Broncos responded by limiting the Tors to three points the rest of the first half, including a 6-minute plus scoreless streak.
“I called a timeout there and challenged them,” Acord said. “I asked them ‘How many three-stops in a row do we have?’ and we didn’t have any.
“I challenged them to start getting stops, and we got five or six in a row right there, and that really was the difference. Once we got the lead, I don’t think we trailed again. That was a big run right there.”
Sam Houston closed out the first half on a 19-3 run while forcing the Tors into 10 turnovers in the second quarter.
Senior Tre Thompson tied the score at 23-23 with 1:38 left in the first half, and Grant Dixon scored on a steal by Nick Lemelle to put the Broncos up 25-23.
Thompson finished with 24 points and seven rebounds while guard Dylan Chavis had 13 points, including a trio of 3-pointers.
“They have been leaders,” Acord said. “Obviously, Thompson is our focal point. We had been without him and went 1-4 in that stretch.
“We are glad to get him back. He brings so much. Chavis, we have relied on him so much. We threw him to the fire last year. He knows his time is running out and he stepped up and made plays.”
Dixon closed out the first half with a 3-pointer to put the Broncos up 30-24 at the break. Dixon finished with 11 points.
Sam Houston kept up its defensive pressure in the third quarter, holding the Tors scoreless for nearly 6 minutes to push their lead to 46-31.
The teams traded two-point leads early before the Tors went on a 13-0 run led by sophomore point guard Zae Trent, who scored 11 of his 13 points in the first quarter, to take a 10-point lead.
Sulphur senior forward Ashtyn Lilly finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, and Dawson Ortego came off the bench to score seven points and grab seven rebounds.
Sam Houston 58
Sulphur 46
Sulphur (13-4, 0-1): Zae Trent 13, Ashtyn Lilly 17. Sam Houston (12-12, 1-0): Dylan Chavis 13, Grant Dixon 11, Tre Thompson 24.
Kirk Meche / Special to the American Press
