The Wall Hawks started quick from the opening tip and the Brownwood Lions were unable to keep pace, as the maroon white dropped their finale in the TexasBank Holiday Classic, 72-51, Friday night at Warren Gym.
The Lions (10-8), who split their four tournament games, trailed Wall by a 20-11 count after one quarter, 42-25 at halftime, and 62-34 heading into the fourth period.
“That’s the best three-point shooting team we’ll see all year,” said Lions second-year head coach Will Parker. “We knew before the game that they had some shooters. We didn’t do a very good job of closing out on people and we haven’t had to because we really haven’t faced that kind of firepower. We have to be able to better.”
Wall was led by Everson Armstrong with 22 points, Augden Hallmark with 17, Logan Thomas with 13, Dane Reynolds with nine, Brylan White with four, Ryan Dusek and Caleb Braden with three each, and Wyatt King with one point.
“If we’re going to be a pressure, full-court press team we have to be better in the press,” Parker said of the defense. “We have to make it more difficult for teams. We don’t have to get turnovers every time, but they can’t get the ball down that fast with the way we’re trying to play.”
For Brownwood, Luke Gray led the charge with 12 points trailed by Tristan Salinas with 11, Morsello Hooker with 10, Ike Hall with nine, Trent Loftin with four, Ryder Lancaster and Hayden Noe with two each, and Gage Sparks with one point.
“I think our guys are realizing what kind of team we are,” Parker said. “If we can get to the rim and finish, we can be really tough to beat. We’re getting to the rim on teams, but completing that has been a struggle for us.”
Brownwood will visit Coleman at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, one of just three games left before District 6-4A action commences.
