SAGINAW - Given the opportunity to write the script for the way the Aledo Bearcats would start 5A Region I District 5 action, head coach JD Robinson likely would’ve written it just the way his team executed on Tuesday. On the road, Aledo dominated the hosting Rough Riders on both ends of the floor from whistle to buzzer en route to a 60-30 mauling.
“We did a good job of knowing personnel,” Robinson mentioned during the post-game interview. “Once you get to district, there’s a lot of scouting. We’ve spent a lot of time at it. has some really good players. I thought we did a good job of knowing personnel, knowing the scouting report, and taking guys away.”
The runaway victory puts Aledo’s overall record on the season at 10-5 and 1-0 in district play.
Saginaw came out firing, establishing an early lead on their home court. On the other end of the floor, Aledo struggled to get shots to fall in the opening moments as Robinson was forced to call his first timeout of the contest midway through the first quarter with his team trailing 8-2.
The early timeout seemed to be the wakeup call the Bearcats needed.
Coming out of the break Exavier Anderson went off, scoring seven points to lead Aledo on a 13-0 run to close out the first quarter of action. From that point the game was never in doubt for the Bearcats.
“We got that early timeout out of the way,” Robinson said. “I thought we really locked in defensively and that was the difference in the game. We were able to get stops and score on the other end.”
Anderson wasn’t just good on the offensive end of the floor on Tuesday. The 6–1 senior guard wrecked the Rough Riders on defense. His stat line for the game defensively read four steals, three defensive rebounds, three deflections, and a blocked shot complementing his offensive output with a game-high 19 points, two offensive rebounds, and an assist.
One particular moment in the waning moments of the third quarter summarized the carnage Anderson inflicted on Saginaw throughout the contest. With less than a minute remaining in the third, he snatched his fourth steal of the game from a Rough Rider guard before going coast-to-coast on the fast break. All alone on Aledo’s end of the gym, Anderson put the exclamation point on his performance with a thunderous one-handed slam that sent the Aledo faithful in attendance into a frenzy.
After jumping out to an early 15-8 lead at the end of the first quarter, Aledo tacked on 19 in the second quarter to take a 34-19 lead at halftime.
When action resumed in the third quarter the Bearcat defense held Saginaw to just four points across eight minutes of play. At the other end of the floor Aledo’s offense ran on rocket fuel, tacking on 22 points as the visiting squad closed out the third with a commanding 56-24 lead.
Late in the third and throughout the fourth quarter it was all about getting the young guys quality minutes. Coming off the bench, Aledo’s underclassmen added four points to the overall tally. What they lacked in offensive output they made up for with stalwart defense, surrendering just six points to the Rough Rider starters who remained in the game late.
“Anytime we can get some of those other guys on the floor, they go to work every day just like the rest of,” Robinson said of his young hoop players. “You never know when we might need them down the stretch. Somebody gets in foul trouble, or something happens; you’re an injury away from needing somebody. Keeping those guys refreshed and engaged is always important.”
The Bearcats will enjoy a long break in their game schedule over the holidays with their next contest slated for a visit from Brewer on Jan. 6.
“We’ll be off through Monday the 26th. Then they’ll get back to work on the 27th and have Brewer on the 6th [of January],” Robinson mentioned. “We’ll do a lot of work between now and then.”
Varsity
| Aledo | 15 | 19 | 22 | 4 | 60 |
| Saginaw | 8 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 30 |
Exavier Anderson 19, Drew Clock 17, Brandon Fields 12, Jackson Todd 8, Brant Tubbs 2, Zayden Parker 2
Varsity
| Aledo | 6 | 10 | 17 | 9 | 42 |
| Timber Creek | 9 | 8 | 12 | 15 | 44 |
Drew Clock 20, Brandon Fields 12, Jack Sawyer 6, Exavier Anderson 2, Brant Tubbs 2
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