Dublin can’t hold off Greenwood despite large early lead

Lions face De Leon to begin 6-3A-filled consolation tourney

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Dublin sensagtion Rayce Jackson did help opponents score at least two points 10 times Friday. Unfortunately only eight count as assists. || Flash media library

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(December 30, 2017) — The difference in qualifying for the championship bracket and being among the eight teams relegated to the consolation tournament was often razor thin in the opening round of the TexasBank Holiday Classic in Brownwood Thursday.

There was one recurring theme in the 16-team event – losses by members of District 6-3A.

That includes Dublin, of course, as the Lions saw a 20-point first-quarter lead slip away in a 79-77 loss to 4A Midland Greenwood in The Coliseum. Now they and every other 6-3A member will compete for the consolation title the weekend before beginning their double round-robin district schedule.

Dublin is one of two that don’t have to face a district rival in the beginning stage of consolation play, but a rematch still looms with De Leon and Kevin Yeager. they tip off at 3:10 p.m. today in The Coliseum. The winner advances to meet the winner of Brady and Early the consolation semifinal at 9:50 a.m. Saturday at Brownwood High School, while the losers of each of those games meet at 12:30 p.m.Saturday at BHS. The consolation final is 1:50 p.m at The Coliseum.

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“It’s not really what you want, having all six district teams in the consolation bracket together the week before district starts, and of course we feel like we should have taken care of business and won that game and been competing for the championship,” said second-year Dublin head coach Will Parker, who led the Lions from worst in district in 2015-16 to first in 6-3A in 2016-17. “But we just need to make it our mindset that we are going to work on us and trying to get as crisp and sharp as we can be before the real district games.”

Rayce Jackson has been crisp all season and poured in another 25 points Thursday while Josh Hanes netted 20.

“Those guys did a good job. Rayce is really performing well and starting to get a little college attention, and that’s great, he is certainly deserving,” Parker said. “Outside those two guys we really didn’t play well. We didn’t handle their press very well and that was disappointing seeing how we’re a team that presses all the time, and we had some guys do things in the first quarter when we jumped out to a 20-point lead and then disappear on us.

“‘We have to get more consistent and get everyone to producing all four quarters the way I know we’re capable,” he added.

Stephenville advanced to the championship bracket with a 60-45 win over Early, recapped here. The Yellow Jackets face Colorado City at 8:30 a.m. Friday at BHS and will play a second game on Friday followed by at least one on Saturday.

 

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