Llano boys basketball beats Lampasas in district game; girls lose
Llano High School freshman post Abby Spurgin turns and shoots despite the Lampasas double team during the Lady Jackets' 50-45 loss on Jan. 24. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
JENNIFER FIERRO • PICAYUNE STAFF
LAMPASAS — The Llano High School boys basketball team closed out Lampasas the way most teams dream of beating an opponent.
The Yellow Jackets (3-2 in District 8-3A) won 54-45 on Jan. 24, using a 15-0 run in the final five minutes of the game.
“I did not realize that,” Llano head coach Aidan Callahan said.
Llano finished the first round of district play in third place. The team’s goal is to end a 17-year playoff drought.
It took several seconds for Callahan to remember the last time he was part of a squad that ended a game on a 15-0 run. It was during a regional tournament while playing for Brock High School almost two decades ago.
Llano experienced some anxious moments though.
The Yellow Jackets took a 17-4 lead in the first quarter that went to 32-16 at the half. But the Badgers (2-3) responded with a 22-5 third quarter to take a 38-37 lead going into the final period.
“We didn’t play badly,” Callahan said. “They played great. It took us too long to adjust to it. At the end of the third, I tried to settle them down and told them we’re going to find out if we’ve gotten better or if we haven’t.”
That advantage grew to 43-37 with six minutes 33 seconds left in the contest.
Then, Llano responded. Using a stingy defense, the Yellow Jackets pressured ball handlers, stepped in front of passing lanes and scored layups.
Lampasas went to a stall with 4:10 left but missed a shot that was rebounded by Isaac Hutto.
The biggest play of the stretch might have come from guard Joey Albor. He anticipated a pass to the middle of the court and sprinted just as the ball was thrown. He tipped it but was bumped by a Badger. Albor regained control of the ball and used his speed to score the breakaway layup for a 46-45 lead with 2:26 left.
“(That) was huge,” the coach said.
“The team was starting to go into a downward spiral,” Albor said. “Once we started making and playing defense, we got the momentum back.”
From that point on, the Jackets were in a stall and made eight of 10 free throws to ice the contest.
“It’s going to be a battle,” Callahan said. “Everything in this district is going to be. If we get (into the playoffs), we’ll earn it.”
The Jackets welcome Gatesville to Llano Gym, 2509 Texas 16 in Llano, at 8 p.m. Jan. 28.
Lampasas girls 50, Llano 45
LAMPASAS — The Llano High School girls basketball team lost 50-45 to Lampasas on Jan. 24.
The Lady Jackets (0-7) led 12-8 after the first quarter and closed out the half on a 6-0 run for a 20-13 lead at the half.
The Lady Badgers (2-5) used a 9-0 run midway through the third period but still trailed 24-22. By the end, Llano led 31-29
Lampasas took the lead at 39-38 with three minutes 17 seconds left and then finished the game by hitting 6 of 8 free throws in the final 42 seconds for the victory.
Lady Jackets head coach Joe Downey acknowledged some mistakes were made, such as his team being called for a flagrant foul in its haste to foul to conserve time and a travel violation with 33 seconds left, and added Lampasas might have been slightly quicker to get to 50-50 balls.
“But I think we did a good job of riding the ship,” he said. “There were a few things we could have done a little better.”
To him, the game came down to hitting foul shots. Llano was 14 of 29 from the line for the contest, 4 of 12 in the first half; Lampasas was 18 of 22 overall.
“We have to make those,” he said. “We had some of those opportunities, little things that could have helped us. You have to do better than that from the foul line.”
The Lady Jackets welcome Gatesville at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 28 to Llano Gym, 2509 Texas 16 in Llano.
jfierro@thepicayune.com