JACKSONVILLE —
The Athens Hornets got a lift Tuesday night, they got a win and now they’ve got a rematch with the biggest thorn in their postseason side in recent memory.
The Hornets (24-12) got 18 points from Anthony Sanders, 14 from Terrance Behan and 11 from Patrick Clark in a 71-49 blowout of the Huntington Red Devils in a Region III-3A bi-district game at Vivian and Bob Smith Gymnasium on the campus of Lon Morris College.
With the win, Athens set up another matchup with reigning Region III-3A champion Mexia Friday at Corsicana High School. A game time had not been set by press time Tuesday.
Mexia has knocked Athens out of the playoffs each of the past two seasons, bucking the Hornets in bi-district in 2010 and in the Region III final last spring in Huntsville.
Mexia, which had a first-round playoff bye, beat Athens in non-district action at AHS Gym in January, 73-63.
When Athens took the court Tuesday, it once again had the services of senior Kendall Sanders. Sanders, one of the nation’s top football recruits who will play college football at The University of Texas, scored eight points in his official return to the team.
Sanders hadn’t played since the first game of the season, against Ennis. The original plan was for him to sit out his senior basketball season to prepare for college football. However, that changed late last week when Sanders was allowed to re-join the team for its playoff run.
Athens head coach Tracy Carter said he left the decision for Sanders’ possible return to his seniors, who agreed to let him come back. Sanders actually returned to the team Friday night and played in a warm-up game loss to Crockett.
The Red Devils (17-15) pestered the Hornets for nearly a full three quarters, cutting a nine-point halftime lead to as little as five midway through the third quarter.
Simply put for Huntington, it was a great night to be a Houston. Zabo Houston and Mo Houston combined for 10 of the Devils’ 14 points — including the latter’s layup that trimmed Athens’ lead to 38-33 with 5:25 left in the third.
“(Huntington) did a good job attacking the basket, and we were on our heels a lot,” Carter said. “Every time I thought we could take it to double digits they crawled back into it. But hey, a win’s a win. We’ll take it.”
The Hornets struck back, and they did it in bunches. After Zabo Houston’s bucket, Patrick Clark sandwiched a pair of shots around Sanders’ alley-oop dunk from Anthony Sanders to push the lead to 11.
Later, Terrance Behan, Kendall Sanders and Anthony Sanders combined on a 6-0 run to give the Hornets’ a 10-point cushion, 51-41, heading into the fourth quarter.
Huntington ran out of gas trying to run with Athens in the fourth. The Hornets put the wraps on the win by opening the fourth on a 14-2 run.
Sports
Related Photos
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Hornet senior post Zach Basher (11) gets in the face of Huntington’s Mo Houston during bi-district action Tuesday. Athens blew out the Red Devils, 71-49, to advance to the area round of the playoffs. Jayson Larson/Athens Review
Discussion
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PLAYOFFS: All hands on deck (w/box score)
Extra-strength Hornets slam Huntington in bi-district, 71-49
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