Saturday, April 27, 2024
Lipan guard Tate Branson hurls himself at Tolar’s big man Merritt Imel, drawing a foul late in the game.
It was mortal combat in the pain between the two Hood County rivals. Merrit Imel, second from left, battles to wrangle a rebound.
Lipan coach Jimmy Lott, right, pleads the Indians’ case to an official after a technical foul is called against Lipan.
Tolar’s lanky forward Grady McQuain did everything for the Rattlers: block shots, score points and make life generally miserable for the Indians.
Lipan’s Tripp Phillips drives to the basket for two of his 17 points.
Garrett Smith takes a hard foul from Tolar’s Merritt Imel.
It doesn’t get any bigger than this.
Texas Class 2A No. 1-ranked Lipan (22-0) duked it out with Hood County and District 11-2A rival No. 8 Tolar (19-4) in Tolar in front of a boisterous standing-room-only crowd Friday night, and the Indians escaped with a nervy 54-46 victory.
“It was a pretty good game. Two very good, very high-quality basketball teams going at it in a great atmosphere,” Lipan boys basketball head coach Brent Gaylor said. “Big nice crowd being loud. It was a lot of fun. That's good high school basketball right there.”
The biggest Hood County has seen. And when titans clash it almost always comes down to the little things.
In this matchup it all came down to free throws — which team could draw the fouls and make their shots.
“It's the team just doing those little things that make us better (doing) what we're able to do,” Gaylor said.
Lipan made 10 of 12 free throws in the fourth quarter, sealing the victory for the Indians. Tolar mustered three trips to the charity stripe in the same period and made one.
Tolar Athletic Director Jeremy Mullins’ prescient prediction before the big game was spot-on.
“Whoever handles the bad things that happen best is the team that's going to win,” Mullins said.
This was a match between two equally talented teams who know each other well. The last time they met was in Tolar’s final home and district game last February. The Rattlers handed the Indians a bitter 52-48 loss.
The core of both teams remain. Tolar has a new head coach in Scott Richardson. Their rabid fan bases were no less enthusiastic in rooting for their boys.
It would come down to execution.
“I think the difference tonight was whether or not we relax and play or if we get too caught up (about) what this game or this moment (means), or the bigness of it all, I think that that'll be our ultimate nemesis,” Richardson said.
Both tested each other early. Tolar pressed Lipan. Lipan tested the Rattlers’ interior defense. Neither side was happy about the officiating calls.
Lipan 15, Tolar 10 after one period.
The fans could sense something special was smoking.
Both teams forced turnovers and blocked shots. It was mortal combat in the paint. The boys battled for every rebound and loose ball. The only thing missing in this prize fight was a trip gong.
Neither team could pull away. It was 28-22 at halftime, Lipan with the advantage.
A Hood County hoop classic was in the smoker.
Emotions were high on the court and in the stands.
Pity the officials who were getting catcalls from both sides.
Tolar’s lanky forward Grady McQuain’s assertive plays under the basket in the third quarter sparked the Rattlers. Reis Brown helped by dropping a three and a muscular drive to the hoop for two.
Game on.
The heat was getting under the Indians' skin. Lipan guard Tate Branson was called for a technical foul and the visitors were livid.
Lipan head coach Jimmy Lott vociferously pleaded the Indians’ case to one of the officials, to no avail. McQuain hits one of two free throws.
Clearly the tide was turning and the home fans knew it.
Tolar cut the Lipan lead to 35-34 after three periods.
Gaylor said he knew it would come to this.
“I told all of them at halftime, I said, ‘Guys, y'all are great basketball players. Y'all aren't good officials. But you're great basketball players. Y'all just got to do the game and do what y'all are good at. And don't worry about the stuff y'all can't control,” the Lipan coach said he told his team at intermission.
Lipan took Tolar’s hardest punch, and the Indians’ big three — Garrett Smith (8 points), Tripp Phillips (6) and Branson (5) — responded with a cool and methodical fourth quarter.
END-OF-GAME DRAMA
With under three minutes to play, Tolar’s Brown scored a basket and drew a foul.
Lipan 47, Tolar 45.
If the Tolar guard could convert the three-point play, the Rattlers claw back to within a point.
The home crowd was delirious.
Brown missed the free throw, and Lipan snagged the rebound. Tolar fouled Phillips and the Lipan big man made both free throws.
Lipan 49, Tolar 45.
The Indians forced a takeaway and Branson took the ball end-to-end, hurling himself into Tolar’s 6-6 center Merritt Imel, drawing a foul. Lipan’s point guard made one of two free throws. Lipan got the rebound, and Branson dropped another basket.
Lipan 52, Tolar 45.
Tolar’s next two offensive possessions ended in air balls lofted from beyond the arc.
The home crowd went silent.
The Lipan cheering section chanted: “We can’t hear you.”
Tolar’s Cade Moody valiantly drove to the basket, netting one free throw.
Lipan 52, Tolar 46.
Eleven ticks remained.
The Rattlers fouled Phillips.
Phillips ended the quarter hitting his final two free throws — making it a perfect six-for-six in the fourth.
Game over.
Brown paced Tolar scorers with 15. McQuain dropped 13 and a dynamic Austin McGowan tipped in 10.
Lipan’s Smith led all scorers with 19. Phillips and the indispensable Branson both added 17 each to the Indians’ total.
Mullins served up some sage words to soothe Tolar’s broken hearts: “At the end of the day, it's not that big of a deal. We're gonna see each other again at least one more time, maybe twice.”
