After dropping their first three games of the season – including the last two by a combined four points – the Brownwood Lions finally landed in the win column Tuesday night, securing a 46-30 victory over the Class 3A Jim Ned Indians in the home opener at Warren Gym.
“The last couple of games we lost we started the game so poorly, we got down by big deficits after the first quarter, and this one we didn’t,” said Lions fifth-year head coach Nadir Dalleh. “We came out and executed our offense, played better and played together, but we still have a long way to go. A lot of that comes with conditioning and getting kids healthy coming off quarantine and ankle injuries, things like that. That’s why we play these games, to try and get a little bit better and work toward district play.”
The turning point in the game occurred during the second and third quarters. The Lions (1-3) were clinging to a 14-13 lead after one quarter as Jim Ned (0-3) knocked down a three-pointer with seven seconds left in the period. However, Brownwood’s defense then took over and kept Jim Ned off the scoreboard for a 15:14 stretch – almost two full quarters – as the Indians didn’t score again until 52 seconds were left in the third period.
“I’m real impressed with our defense,” Dalleh said. “We’ve got a couple of guys that are undersized that are playing guys that are bigger than they are and they are really competing against those guys. I told our guys if we could continue to play this well, just think what could happen.”
During Jim Ned’s scoring drought, the Lions put 21 points on the scoreboard to open a 35-13 lead. Brownwood shook off a five-point second quarter with 16 in the third period to seize control of the contest.
The Indians closed the gap to 38-21 with 6:05 left in the contest, but three-pointers from Bryan Healer and Michael Felts helped Brownwood re-establish a 20-point cushion, 43-23, with 3:31 to go.
“Everybody got in, just about everybody put points on the board and everybody contributed and that’s what we want, everybody having a part of this,” Dalleh said. “A win’s a win and we’ll take it.”
Jakob Hataway led the Lions with 17 points trailed by Bryson Monroe with 10, Felts with seven, Healer and Christian Kinzler with three apiece, and Zach Porter, Tanner Roberts and Asher Choate with two points each.
Jim Ned received 10 points from Ben Eschelman, five from Ethan Luckenbach, three from Josh Luckenbach and two apiece from Lucas Daggs and Cole Barron.
The Lions return to the court at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Wall.
