SPORTS
Saint Jo tabs Blank as coach
By ERIC VICCARO
bnewssports@sbcglobal.net
New Saint Jo head boys basketball coach Brian Blank, pronounced “Blunk,” is part of a family coaching tree here in the state of Texas.
Blank’s father, Donald, won nearly 800 games in 42 seasons at Needville and Yoakum. Blank’s brother, Michael, coaches with both the football and basketball programs at Strait Jesuit, a Conference 6A school in Houston.
Uncle Kelvin Blank is an assistant football and pitching coach at Ennis.
“I hope kids enjoy being taught the way I was taught,” Blank said.
Blank said playing team basketball – especially on offense – is like artwork.
“I was an assistant coach under my dad for the past six years, and my brother is an assistant, so I got to coach with them,” Blank said. “There were some changes made (at Needville). I was ready to start my own program.”
Blank saw the opening for a boys’ basketball coach at Saint Jo on the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches’ website.
He interviewed in late May, and the Saint Jo Independent School District officially hired Blank in June.
Blank will be an assistant football coach, working with the running backs and secondary, and he will also be assisting with the Panthers’ track and field program. He replaces former coach Russell Endress.
In the classroom, Blank will teach seventh-grade Texas history, eighth-grade United States history and seventh-grade health. Read more on this story in the weekend edition of The Bowie News.
Saint Jo Panthers logo. (Logo provided by the Saint Jo Independent School District)
Saint Jo’s boys basketball team got off to a quick start and used a big third quarter to take a 65-44 homecourt win over Dodd City Jan. 6.
The Panthers got out to a 19-7 first quarter lead on the Hornets. Barrett Johnson had 13 points for Saint Jo with Trent Gaston adding four and Zeke Bonn having a basket.
Lee Yeley led the hosts in the second quarter with a pair of 3-pointers. Johnson had five points and Gaston a basket.
Dodd City tossed in 18 points but still found themselves down 33-25 at the half.
For further information, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Many Prairie Valley fans had misgivings about taking state-ranked and defending Class A state champs Perrin Jan. 6, one fan saying “nothing good can come of this.”
The Bulldogs gave a solid showing against the visiting Pirates, staying close for more than three quarters before outside shooting by Perrin enabled the visitors to pull away in a 72-57 win.
Perrin looked to blow things out early, with a 5-0 lead in the opening minute before Sawyer Bray snapped the string. The Pirates went on an 8-0 run for a 13-2 lead mid-quarter.
Prairie Valley’s Trae Campbell showed what kind of night it would be by getting inside for baskets. Jarrett Horton’s 3-pointer capped a 4-of-11 shooting frame for the ‘Dogs, who were down 19-11 after eight minutes.
For further details, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
Several Bowie turnovers in the opening moments Friday night enabled visiting Holliday to get out to a 10-2 lead. The Eagles then used a third quarter offensive explosion for a 72-27 win over the host Rabbits.
Four turnovers in the first 90 seconds hurt the Rabbits, Holliday took advantage and broke things wide open. Holliday led 10-2 with Tyler Richey coming through with the only Bowie points. Cason Airington’s 3-pointers ended a 3-of-8 shooting frame for the Rabbits, which were down 17-8 after one quarter.
Bowie’s shooting continued going downhill into the second quarter, the Rabbits missing all five shots. A free throw by Richey midway through the frame would be the only point. Holliday outscored Bowie 13-1 in the second frame to take a 30-9 lead at the half.
The Visitors opened the third quarter on a 12-1 run, over the first nearly three minutes of the third. Both teams had their best scoring quarters in the third.
For further information, pick up a copy of Thursday’s Bowie News.
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