Huntsville wakes up, beats Bulldogs

Sports

Discussion

January 23, 2008

Murray, Ennis spark third-quarter run, lift Hornets past Waller

By Tom Waddill The Huntsville Item Wed Jan 23, 2008, 12:13 AM CST

WALLER — The Hornets certainly didn’t have a cakewalk Tuesday night, but because they buckled down defensively and started hitting shots, they didn’t wear egg on their faces back to Huntsville.

The Hornets (7-0 in District 18-4A, 19-5 overall) shook off a lackadaisical first half and wrested control from a pesky Waller squad after the break. Guards Drae Murray and Justin Ennis combined to hit five 3-pointers in a decisive third-quarter run that helped the Hornets pull away for a 76-58 victory over the Bulldogs.

Murray hit a pair of 3-pointers and Ennis added three more during Huntsville’s 29-19 third-quarter spurt that gave the Hornets a 60-49 lead heading into the final period. Equally important was the Hornets’ decision to sport their brand of in-your-face defense, which was glaringly absent in the first half.

Murray finished with 25 points, nine assists, seven steals and four rebounds. Ennis had 19 points, three rebounds and four assists. Marcus Irving and Kirby Ennis added 10 points and three boards apiece, while Howard Brown scored six, all in the second half. Justin Gilbert, Jercolby Gamble and George Perry scored two points each for HHS.

Trent Thomas led Waller (5-2 in 18-4A, 16-8 overall) with 15 points. Stephen Williams scored 14, and big man Isaac Watson added 12 for the Bulldogs.

Murray said after the game that the Hornets may have taken Waller a little too lightly. With a chance to tie Huntsville for the district lead, the Bulldogs were fired up and ready for Tuesday’s game. The Hornets, by their own admission, were not.

“I’ve got to agree with what coach said. We didn’t get off the bus ready to play tonight,” said Murray, who showed off his senior leadership skills after the Hornets fell behind by as many as seven points in the second quarter. “In the second half, we had a lot more intensity and played like the Hornets. We picked up our defense and started running and gunning.”

Huntsville actually made a nifty little run in the last three minutes of the first half. Trailing 26-19 after Watson muscled in a basket, Murray put the Hornets on his back and led them on a 12-4 run to close the second period. In that span, Murray scored 10 points. Gamble scored the Hornets’ other two points after Irving stole an inbound pass.

When Murray turned another steal into a basket at the buzzer, suddenly the momentum shifted to the visitors’ side.

“One thing I liked about the first half was, after nothing was going our way — fouls and not playing hard defense — still we had a one-point lead,” Anderson said. “I told them at halftime, if we would just play like we’re capable of playing we would win the game by 20.”

The Hornets played to their potential in the second half and nearly hit their coach’s prediction on the money.

Huntsville started stretching its lead when an intentional foul was called on a breakaway play involving Justin Ennis and Thomas. Ennis was on his way to an easy layup when Thomas grabbed the Hornet guard from behind. The two players got in each other’s face, and the Bulldogs were hit with an additional technical foul.

On what became a six-point possession, Ennis made three of four free throws, then Murray swished a 3 from the left corner to make it 40-33.

Murray hit another 3 on the Hornets’ next trip down. Before the period ended, Justin Ennis found his touch and netted three 3s.

“I hit one shot early, then I kind of hit a drought,” Ennis said. “In the second half, the shots started falling again. My point guard didn’t lose faith in me.”

In the closest district game yet, the Hornets never panicked. They kept their cool, even when Waller was leading and seemingly getting most of the breaks.

A Huntsville team that turned the ball over 10 times in the first 16 minutes, only had two turnovers after intermission. The Hornets forced 23 Waller turnovers, 12 in the second half.

“We needed a close game,” Murray said. “The final score doesn’t look like this one was close, but it was close the whole way. We just pulled together and played as a team in the second half. That’s how we pulled it out.”

The Hornets are back at home Friday for another district game against Livingston. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Text Only

Sports

Big week ahead for Bulldogs, Lady Bulldogs
To say that this is an important week for the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs basketball team would be a big understatement. With the regular season winding down, much is at stake for the New Waverly boys and girls.

February 6, 2012 2 Photos
Bulldog lifters gain experience at Shepherd meet
Looking back on his lifters’ performance at last Saturday’s meet in Shepherd, New Waverly powerlifting coach Mike Carolan lauded his team’s efforts. Senior Tucker Saxton won the 220-pound classification and freshman Dillon Silvis took fifth in the 114-pound division.

February 6, 2012
Running Shorts: First 50-miler in the books
February 6, 2012
Hornet powerlifters fare well at Shepherd meet
February 5, 2012 2 Photos
Huntsville’s Thompson cruises at Willis tennis tourney, wins singles title
Hard rain, blustery wind and a change of venue could not stop Huntsville senior Kyle Thompson last Friday. The Hornets’ top tennis player cruised to three consecutive victories and earned the championship trophy in boys singles at a dual match in Willis.

February 5, 2012
Who ya got, Pats or Giants?
February 4, 2012
Bearkats back on top
The Bearkats got caught playing down to Southeastern Louisiana’s level in the first half, but a lights-out second half led to a 67-46 victory over the Lions on Saturday.
Sam Houston State turned the ball over 10 times, which resulted in nine Southeastern points at the break. That’s why the Lions trailed by only three at halftime, though they only shot 26.5 percent (9-of-34) from the floor.
Southeastern played even worse in the final 20 minutes, but most of that had to do with Sam Houston’s raised intensity level, thanks to a firm halftime message that stuck.

February 4, 2012 1 Photo
Hornet wrestlers make marked improvements at district meet
Exhausted but still exhilarated, the young wrestlers on the Huntsville High School team are already talking about what they can accomplish next year.
Last-place finishers at the District 20-5A meet last winter, the Hornets made a major move in 2012, finishing fifth in the 13-team varsity boys field at the district meet Friday.
Huntsville’s girls finished sixth in the team standings and Lady Hornets freshman Marissa Dixon won a district championship in the girls 128-pound division.

February 4, 2012
Hornets fall in OT, must win three in row now
The Hornets had their chances in regulation and in overtime, but they couldn’t quite get a much-needed win at Kingwood Park on Friday night.
In a basketball game that was slowed to a crawl, Huntsville dropped a 51-46 decision to the Panthers in overtime.
The pressure’s now on Huntsville in the final week and a half in order to get into the postseason.

February 4, 2012
Whispering Pines golf pro Rowe recognized as one of country’s top 50 kids’ teachers
Whispering Pines golf professional Chris Rowe is among the class of the Top 50 Kids Teachers for 2011, as selected by U.S. Kids Golf.
Rowe has been a junior golf instructor for 22 years and is currently the head professional at Whispering Pines Golf Club near Trinity. This is the first time Rowe has been named a Top 50 Kids Teacher by U.S. Kids Golf.

February 4, 2012
More Sports Headlines

Sports

Search Results

Discussion

Huntsville wakes up, beats Bulldogs

Murray, Ennis spark third-quarter run, lift Hornets past Waller

Site Map

Contact Us