The Harker Heights Knights kept up with the Mansfield Lake Ridge speedy defense and opportunistic offense, but foul trouble did them in, ending their season in a 56-49 loss to the Class 6A No. 14-ranked Eagles Monday at Lorena High School.
The Knights and Eagles stayed close throughout, closing out the first quarter 10-10 and ending the first half 27-26 with Harker Heights ahead by a point.
Senior David Punch made his presence felt, especially under the basket, but picked up his third foul in the last minute of the first half and his fourth in the final minute of the third quarter. Punch left the game with Harker Heights leading 40-33.
Punch, the Knights’ 6-foot-8-inch Texas Christian University commit fouled out after less than two minutes of the fourth quarter clinging to a 40-38 lead, but the Knights never let up.
With 3:16 left in the game, they were just four points behind at 48-44. No one scored for two minutes.
The Eagles were nearly perfect at the free-throw line in the fourth quarter, sinking 11 out of 12 in the final stanza and outscoring Harker Heights 21 to nine.
Jamari Alexander led the way for the Knights with 15 points. Punch scored 14. Jahiem Green and Lawrence Taylor knocked in six apiece. Keyaun Martin and Elijah Gibson each contributed four.
“I’m just proud of our guys,” said Knights Head Coach Jerrel Chumley. “It’s a really big game. Lake Ridge is a good team, ranked high in the state.”
Harker Heights finished 10-2 in district and 23-10 overall, closing out another playoff season and ending one of the best careers in Knights basketball history.
“David is one of the best to ever come out of Harker Heights,” said Chumley. “I was proud how hard he led us this year. He is an unbelievable player who is going to do great things. They all played hard.
“I came in a new coach, and they didn’t have to believe in me, but they did.”
They were co-champions in District 12-6A after racking up an eight-game win streak before completing the season 2-2 and entering the post season as the second-place team based on a coin flip.
Mansfield Lake Ridge finished 11-3 for third place in District 11-6A. They are 29-6 overall as they move to the area round of the playoffs.
Killeen ISD’s other three playoff basketball teams are all in action Tuesday.
- Shoemaker plays in a bi-district matchup at 6 p.m. at Hearne High School against College Station A&M Consolidated.
- Ellison meets Brenham in a bi-district game at 7 p.m. at Rockdale High School.
- The Chaparral Lady Bobcats have a third-round game at 7 p.m. at Caldwell High School against Montgomery Lake Creek.
