From tournaments, to single games on the road, to home contests, Killeen ISD basketball teams were busy Thursday through Saturday heading into the week of Thanksgiving.
Among the highlights: the Class 6A No. 20 Harker Heights Knights extended their winning streak to five games and claimed the title at the 56th annual Arlington Classic, and the Class 5A No. 24 Chaparral Lady Bobcats and No. 8 Ellison Eagles remained unbeaten in the early goings this season.
Thursday
Boys
Chaparral and Harker Heights began tournaments in Austin and Arlington, respectively, with the Bobcats going 1-1 on Day 1 of the Austin ISD tourney and the Knights winning their lone game of the afternoon.
CJ Norwood hit five 3-pointers en route to 21 points and Jeremiah Smith added 15 points for Chaparral in its 67-61 loss to Burnet. The Bobcats bounced back with a 59-45 victory over Dripping Springs in which Demarko Williams led the way with 17 points.
In the midst of all that action, the Bobcats also delivered off the court, donating 60 pairs of shoes to a good cause. “Amazed by our community’s spirit of giving,” the team posted on social media.
Up at the Arlington Classic, the Knights got 19 points from Jamari Alexander and another 12 from David Punch to pick up an opening 74-37 win over OD Wyatt.
Girls
At the Allen Hoopfest, Shoemaker went 1-1 and Ellison 0-2 on the opening day of bracket play.
Iyanna Billups posted a team-high 15 points for the Lady Grey Wolves in their 42-33 win over Arlington Bowie. Kenyjah Richards was the top-scorer with 15 points later that night in Shoemaker’s 83-50 setback to No. 2 Lubbock Monterey.
The Lady Eagles’ engaged in a pair of close contests, falling 42-25 to McKinney and 40-28 to Garland Sachse.
Friday
Boys
The Knights kept their momentum going by easing past Arlington, 65-40, and edging Arlington Bowie 45-42 to reach the tournament title game.
Ellison hosted 6A Bryan at Eagle Gym and protected its home court, flying past the Vikings, 84-52. Ahziel McIver netted 14 points, and Nasaun Parker and Sean Parks each had 11 points.
Chaparral kept Katy Jordan in its sights but came up just short, 53-48, despite a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds from Williams and 13 points from Norwood. The Bobcats closed out a 1-1 afternoon with their 56-44 win over Austin McCallum in which Brad Miles scored a team-high 15 points, and Smith, Williams and Norwood posted eight each.
Killeen took on Copperas Cove but couldn’t get over the hump in a 64-57 defeat.
Girls
The Lady Bobcats (6-0) sent the Lady Panthers back to Pflugerville with a 58-30 defeat in tow. Chaparral is 3-0 at home so far this season.
On the road, the Killeen Lady Roos overcame a halftime deficit to corral a 53-47 victory. And a few more miles north, Harker Heights blitzed host Waco, 62-39.
The Lady Eagles and Lady Grey Wolves each went 1-1 on their final day at the Allen Hoopfest.
Ellison defeated Hallsville 41-33 and lost to Bishop Lynch, 39-35.
Shoemaker topped Red Oak 58-56 in overtime before a 51-36 setback versus McKinney. The Grey Wolves’ Iyanna Billups, who had 15 points against Red Oak, was named to the All-Tournament team
Saturday
Boys
Harker Heights wrapped up its Arlington Classic championship with a 67-48 victory over Fort Worth Christian. Punch was named the tournament MVP while Alexander and Lawrence Taylor landed on the all-tournament team.
The Bobcats put a bow on their stay at the Austin ISD tournament with a 53-48 win over Kerrville Tivy in the silver bracket finale.
Norwood had 10 points, Williams eight points, and Victor Purnell posted six points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.
Photos by Todd Martin
