.png)
The two Dripping Springs basketball teams are struggling at the time to keep their heads above water but are expecting to improve enough to have a voice in the district wars. The Tigers are 5-5 and Lady Tigers 1-9.
It is the general consensus of coaches that the first five minutes of each half of a game is the most important in a game played. The reason is it sets the tone for how your team is going to perform for the total game. The Tigers certainly adhered to this in their game with Smithson Valley. They came out ready to play and quickly bolted out to a 9-0 lead. It was needed. SV warmed up a few minutes later and stayed within that range for the remainder of the game as the Tigers prevailed 69-59. They pressured the Tigers from early at 9-5 to 1510 to 20-15 after one. From that point on the air was filled with threes and intensity. DS never lost the lead during the barrage. It was 34-21 at the half and 53-45 after three. It was Judson Loe with the big night scoring 35 points. In addition Rushton Budge added 18, Grant Reagan 6, Brady Coleman 5, Brayden 4 and Grant Gillum 1.
On the other hand, the Lady Tigers had an opposite game with Hays Johnson. They came out playing like it was the first day of holiday at noon (which it was). They were careless and lackadaisical unlike the energy they usually display in their games. It was a game they were capable of winning but lost 6041. Most of the game was spent in scoring spurts. Johnson jumped out to a 10-0 lead. DS got it back to 13-8 after one. They kept it to five through the second until a three made it 28-20 at the half. DS could not get shots to fall and therefore could not close the gap. It was 44-34 after three. An 8-0 finish spread the margin to its final. Rain Collins led the attack with 20. Others were Ella Beatty 6, Ainsley Coleman 5, Layney Fields 4, Bailey Rogers 4, Chloe Lightfoot 2.
