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The Rice Raider boys’ varsity basketball team had a four-game winning streak Dec. 2-6, before falling to Sealy with a final 49-45 score Dec. 6.
Dec. 2 Bulldog defeat The Raiders hosted the Boling Bulldogs Dec. 2, and the matchup ended in a 5321 Raider victory.
Top players in that game were junior Jeremiah Grounds with 13 points, four rebounds, senior Arrington Jenkins with 11 points, four rebounds and senior Avan Woolridge with eight points, 11 rebounds.
Also contributing points were: junior Jireh Cobia (five points), Charles Scott (two points), Kordae Johnson (two points), ZaMarion Utley, Jalen Jordan and Duran Amos put up two points each.
Double wins Dec. 4 in Raider tourney The Raiders took on the Hallettsville varsity team in a morning game Thursday, Dec. 4, and the Hallettsville JV team in an afternoon game for the first day of their Raider tournament.
The Raiders beat the varsity Brahmas with a final 47-36 score and beat the JV Brahmas 48-19.
The top scorer in the morning game was Jenkins with 16 points. The top scorer in the afternoon game was senior Anthony Becerra with nine points and four rebounds.
Cobia had eight points, two assists; Amos seven points, one assist, three rebounds and two steals; Grounds six points, four rebounds, two steals; Jenkins six points, three rebounds, one block and two assists; Utley three points, two rebounds, one steal; Johnson three points, one rebound; Woolridge three points, four rebounds, one steal and Jordan three points, seven rebounds and one steal.
Raiders win one, lose one on final day of Raider tourney The Raiders had an early start to their day Saturday, Dec. 6 with a 9 a.m. game against Boling. Rice’s 2014 halftime lead dwindled down to a two-to-threepoint lead in the second half.
Despite a low free throw percentage (31 percent), the Raiders secured a 3937 victory.
Cobia led in scoring with 10 points, three rebounds, three steals; Jenkins eight points, eight rebounds, one block, two assists; Woolridge six points, three rebounds, one assist; Grounds five points, one steal, one block; Johnson four points, four steals, two assists; Jordan four points, three rebounds and Amos two points, one rebound, two steals.
The Sealy Tigers proved to be the toughest opponent of the week for the Raiders.
The Raiders kept the score close by forcing 12 Tiger turnovers, and making several back-to-back scoring plays, including back-to-back three-point plays by Woolridge.
The Raiders fell short with a 17 percent shooting average from the free throw line.
The fast-paced offense and higher free throw shot percentage allowed the Tigers to inch out the 49-45 win over the Raiders.
Jenkins had 14 points, six rebounds, one steal; Cobia 10 points, two rebounds, three steals, one assist; Woolridge eight points, five rebounds, two blocks, two assists; Grounds six points, two rebounds, one steal; Amos four points, two assists, and Johnson three points, one rebound, one steal and two assists.
Head Coach John Paul Hunter is well aware of the need to up the free throw percentage.
“We only went five for 16 against Boling. That alone let Boling stay in a close game,” Hunter acknowledges. “ Turnovers are also hurting us, but I know it will get better with the guys just getting more game action with each other. We have done a really nice job with being able to change the game plan while the game is in progress. Which is amazing this early in the season, because that is one thing that has normally come later on in the season.”
The Raiders will travel to Flatonia Dec. 11-13 for a tournament. The Raiders take on St. Joseph at 12:15 p.m. and Luling at 4 p.m. on Dec. 11; Waelder at 11 a.m. Dec. 12 and Flatonia at 12:15 p.m. Dec. 13.
