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Four losses in the last five games has eliminated the Tigers from title contention and put their playoff hopes in a tenuous position with four games remaining. An overtime loss to Westlake seemed to be the key to this slide. In the two losses I've seen, there has been a woeful shooting slump. When you live by the three, sometimes you die by the three. Lately, scoring has mostly been contributed by two players, and that is usually not enough in this district. Here is the standings to date. Westlake 8-0, Lake Travis 5-3, DS 4-4, Bowie 4-4, Del Valle 3-4, Akins 1-5, Austin 1-6.
It is always a hardplayed game when the Tigers take on the Cavaliers of Lake Travis. The Tigers came out firing threes with none finding the range in the first half. Rushton Budge got the only basket in the opening period with 3.20 remaining as LT led 112. Judson Loe would produce the only points in period two as the half ended 20-6. As many games as I have seen them play, LT has always dominated the Tigers on the boards and loose balls. That only allows a team one shot down the court.
The second half found the Tigers putting it in the basket at a better pace but they could not close the gap. After three it was 31-21. Budge and Loe got hot but the Cavaliers were very stubborn and would not give up their lead. The Tigers battled it to 41-36 with under two minutes but could not get it closer as the final was 43-38. Loe scored 20, while Budge had 16 and Stone Patterson pitched in two.
It was much the same with the Bowie Bulldogs. The Tigers got off to a slow start and trailed the game the first three quarters before drawing even at 31 after three. The Bulldogs put on the after-burner in the fourth and pulled away 53-43. Contributing points for the Tigers were Loe 16, Budge 13, Patterson 12, Liam Lawson 1, Brayden Spencer 1.
