Nocona
The Nocona Indians won on the road at Windthorst to improve to 2-0 in district play.
The Indians won 56-47 against the Trojans thanks to some one-sided play during the middle quarters of the game.
Nocona comes into district play as the favorite to repeat as district champs, ranked 14th in the state in 2A in the most recent Texas Association of Basketball Coaches poll.
That didn’t stop the Indians from barely escaping from their opening district game against Seymour with a one-point victory.
Windthorst proved to be tough early on, getting out to a 14-9 lead after the first quarter. Nocona found other ways to score in the second quarter besides just 3-pointers and defended better to go into halftime with the score tied at 23-23.
Coach Brody Wilson wanted his team to look to push the ball more and make the game faster paced and the Indians did that in the third quarter.
Nocona rained in four 3-pointers, but also scored near the basket with dump off passes to post players. The Indians nearly equaled their first half total, scoring 20 points.
Just as importantly, Nocona’s defense continued to limit the Trojans like it did in the second quarter, holding Windthorst to just six points.
The Indians led 43-29 going into the final period.
The Trojans, with their back against the wall, had one player get hot from 3-point range as he made four during the last stretch. Windthorst made five total 3-pointers in the fourth quarter as the team scored 18 points to close the game.
Thankfully, Nocona’s offense only barely cooled down as the team scored 13 points, all inside the arc, to make the end of the game not very dramatic.
The Indians won 56-47.

Saint Jo vs Bellevue
The Saint Jo Panthers outlasted Bellevue at home on Tuesday night in a high-scoring, double overtime game.
The Panthers won 92-90, just pulling ahead in a game where nobody deserved to lose.
Saint Jo was coming off of two disappointing losses and sat at 2-2 in district play. Bellevue was also sitting at 2-2 and coming off a loss at Gold-Burg.
The Eagles got out to a 20-15 lead in the first quarter, but the Panthers closed the gap and trailed by only one basket 37-35 at halftime.
Saint Jo pulled ahead in the third quarter, outscoring Bellevue 16-11 to take the lead by one basket 51-48 heading into the fourth quarter.
Both teams had many chances to pull ahead or take the lead with made or missed free throws in what was the highest scoring quarter of the game. The Panthers scored a game high 21 points and usually that would be enough to pull ahead with them entering with the lead.
Unfortunately for Saint Jo, Bellevue also had its best offensive quarter, scoring 24 points, enough to force an overtime period with the score tied at 72-72 at the end of regulation.
The Panthers had more opportunities in the first overtime to pull ahead, but four missed free throws bit them in the ankle. Both teams scored eight points and the score was still tied, now 80-80, and forced to go to a second overtime period.
Saint Jo did a better of job of making its free throws in what would be the final period, making 7-8, which was just enough to pull ahead and win 92-90.

Gold-Burg
The Gold-Burg Bears lost a tough game at home against district favorite Slidell on Tuesday night.
The Greyhounds won 72-31 to show why they are undefeated in district play so far.
The Bears came into the game 2-2 and on a two game win streak after disappointing losses to start off district play in the new year.
Slidell was 4-0, with its four wins being won by 45, 41, 37 and 43 points.
The Greyhounds showed why from the opening jump, forcing the game into the pace they want to play and throwing Gold-Burg off from the start.
Slidell led 24-4 after the first quarter and 38-9 at halftime.
The Bears showed some life on offense in the third quarter, making some shots and actually competing well despite being so far behind.
It did not last long as the fourth quarter saw the Greyhounds dominate to end the game once again.
Slidell won 72-31.
Jayon Grace led the team with 11 points and four assists. Isaac Renteria was second with six points while collecting a team high seven rebounds and six steals.

Missing scores
The Bowie boy’s team had a bye game earlier in the week.

To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News.