Girls stun Austin LBJ, 46-44

Both Lockhart boys and girls basketball teams launched their 2003-04 seasons to mixed success on Tuesday. Sue”reesa Williams nailed a jumper with 3.2 seconds remaining to give the Lady Lions a 46-44 victory over Class 4A Austin LBJ, while the boys gave all they had before bowing to Class 3A”s fifth-ranked Wimberley, 87-59.
GIRLS
Lockhart 46, Austin LBJ 44
T

he Lady Lions blew a six-point lead in the second quarter but stormed back in the second half to stun the 26-4A Lady Jaguars at Lions Gym.
Williams scored 14 points, Whitney Winn tallied 12 and Donyea Riles added 11 for Lockhart, which came back after being outscored 14-2 in the second period.
“What impressed me about the first game was I liked was that we never gave up,” said Lions coach Dave Johnston. “We were up by eight points in the first half and we lose that lead but didn”t lost our composure. Over the course of the 32 minutes there were some big chances that we could but we had some runs in the second half that gave us a chance.”
A physical game from the tip, Lockhart held the momentum through the first period and into the second behind Riles and Williams, who combined for 10 points in the first half. LBJ (0-1) got two 3-pointers from Daisha Thomas and forced several Lions turnovers to forge a 24-18 halftime advantage.
Lockhart found its mettle a few minutes into the third stanza, as Winn took charge. The post came up with six points during the quarter as the Lions outscored the Jags 18-6 for a 32-30 lead after three. Buoyed by the tough inside play of Camille Edelen (12 points) and Marcella Baker (six points), the Jags fought back, taking the lead twice before both teams tussled for the final advantage at game”s end.
The game was tied 42-all when Lockhart guard Amanda Mendez – who didn”t score a point but matched the Jags blow for blow down the stretch – fouled out with 52 seconds remaining. Edelen hit both ends of a 1-and-1 to give LBJ a 44-42 lead but a jumper at the other end by Riles tied the contest with just under 30 seconds left.
Two misses each by both teams set the stage for Williams” game-winner, which slid through the basket from 10 feet out and sent the crowd into a frenzy.
“This was a big win for us to start the season – it gives us some good momentum,” said Johnston, whose team finished 14-14 overall and in fifth place in District 25-4A last season. “We beat a playoff team that had some good sophomores from last year, and was physical and fast. This is something that will definitely get us rolling – we”re starting to come together; it”s something I could feel from the first day of practice.”
The Lady Lions will face Hallettsville in their first game at the Seguin Matador Classic at 2 p.m. Friday in Seguin. A first-round victory will likely send them against the host team at 5 p.m.
The junior varsity team fell to LBJ 55-36 in Lions Gym on Tuesday.

BOYS
Class 3A No. 5 Wimberley 87, Lockhart 59
At the SBC Center in San Antonio, the Lions took it on the chin from Class 3A”s top-five ranked Wimberley Texans, who coasted to a 28-point victory in an afternoon contest and season-opener for both teams. Edward Patlan scored 12 points, Jacob Alvarez added 11 and Garrett Shafer totaled 10 for Lockhart (0-1).
“We dug ourselves a hole by getting down 17-4 in the first quarter and we trailed 43-21 at halftime,” Lions coach Tony Knight said. “We outscored them in the third quarter (23-18), but we opened the fourth with three straight turnovers that set a bad tempo for the rest of the game.”
Leading the Texans (1-0) were brothers Tyler (19 points) and Tress (16) White. R.J. Bandy added 15 for Wimberley, which hit 25 of 33 free throws to Lockhart”s 11 of 14.
Knight said the Lions played well for an opening game but lacked the consistency needed over the 32 minutes to upset one of the better teams in the state.
“There were some promising things – our press looked good in spurts,” the coach said. “We”ll do things well for a little while and then . . . I don”t know if it was the season-opening jitters or what. But as far as putting it together, it”s not there now. But out problems are things we can fix – like fundamentals – and there are plenty of things to work on before (District 25-4A play begins) Jan. 3.”
The Lions should be well prepared by then, Knight said.
“We”re playing a real tough non-district schedule, which is the opposite of past years,” Knight said, referring to games against Class 5A teams San Marcos, Seguin and Round Rock Stony Point. “They”re all tough opponents.”
The Lions scheduled home game against Manor on Friday has been cancelled because of Manor”s involvement in the Class 3A state football playoffs. The team will next be in action Monday at San Marcos and Tuesday at Austin Travis.