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Wildcats Basketball Take Fifth

Wildcats Take Fifth Place in Mansfield Tournament with Win Over Ranked Class 6A Team

The #5 ranked Wildcats Basketball Team continues to find ways to win the close games. It happened again Saturday (December 7) in the Mansfield ISD Spring Creek Barbeque Classic Tournament as the Wildcats held on to defeat Killeen Ellison, the #6 ranked team in Class 6A, 55-53 at Mansfield Legacy. The Wildcats led 24-18 at the half and 43-36 after three quarters. The win gave the Wildcats fifth place in the prestigious tournament. The Wildcats were led in scoring by Grayson McClure with 17 points, including 4 three-point baskets. Day Day Hall and Cameron Kahn scored 12 points each. Boo Wilkerson scored 11 points including 3 three pointers. Lamodrick Johnson scored 6 points. Hall was named to the All-Tournament Team. Wildcats Coach Clark Cipoletta said the Wildcats played very well defensively, executed the scouting report well and kept Ellison off of the offensive glass. He said Ellison does a great job of pressuring yet the Wildcats were able to stay calm and enjoy the pressure.

In play Friday, despite splitting two games in the tournament, one of the wins was the Wildcats most impressive one of the season, according to Wildcats Basketball Coach Clerk Cipoletta. After losing to Waxahachie, ranked #12 in Class 6A, 62-56, at Mansfield Legacy High School, the Wildcats, ranked #5 in Class 5A, defeated Pearland Shadow Creek, ranked #2 in Class 5A, 57-46, at Mansfield Lake Ridge High School. Near the end of the game, the Wildcats led by 20 points. Against Waxahachie, Kahn led the Wildcats with 18 points, Hall had 14 points. Wilkerson added 11 points, McClure scored 6 points, Johnson scored 5 points and Justin Haire scored 2 points. Coach Cipoletta said the Wildcats played Waxahachie very close. He called the game a great learning opportunity for his team. Coach Cipoletta said they were difficult to guard and posed a lot of mismatch problems for the Wildcats. He said he was really proud of how the Wildcats stepped up to the challenge. Against Shadow Creek, Hall led the Wildcats with 27 points. Kahn had 9 points. McClure scored 8 points. Wilkerson had 7 points. Johnson added 5 points. Haire had 2 points. Coach Cipoletta had the Wildcats came out and executed quickly. He said they were able to handle the pressure and make them pay for over rotating. He said the Wildcats played as a complete team. In summary, Coach Cipoletta called it a great weekend for the team. He noted they won 4 of 5 games and defeated both the #2 team in Class 5A and the #6 team in Class 6A. Coach Cipoletta said the Wildcats competed and grew as a team. The Wildcats season record is now 8-2.  Next the Wildcats play at Dallas Woodrow Wilson Tuesday at 8 p.m.

Author: Chad Young

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