Rally lifts Denton Guyer into first place

By Shawn Smajstrla

Special to the Star-Telegram

TROPHY CLUB -- Denton Guyer assumed outright first place in District 5-4A with Tuesday's 49-43 win at Trophy Club Nelson.

The Wildcats (19-6, 9-1) trailed by 10 points in the first half, but outlasted the Bobcats (22-5, 8-2) down the stretch.

The battle was hard-fought throughout, though Nelson coach Scott Curran felt his team just seemed to slow down in the second half.

"In the second half for some reason, we had no energy," he said. "... And against a team as talented as them, if you don't come out with energy, you're going to get beat."

Nelson started the game with the first five points, but Guyer responded with eight straight. The Bobcats gained momentum early in the second quarter when they hit three consecutive 3-pointers to take a 20-11 lead. They stretched that lead to 23-13 with just over two minutes to play in the second quarter and led 25-18 at halftime.

Guyer started to turn the game in the third quarter. Miles Crawford converted a three-point play to pull the Wildcats within 33-32, and Jerrod Heard's basket at 1:54 left in the third gave Guyer its first lead since the first period.

Crawford made several key baskets in the second half, including a bucket with time expiring in the third to tie the game at 38-38, and then a 3-pointer to give Guyer a 43-41 lead with 2:30 remaining.

After Crawford made a pair of free throws to give the Wildcats a 46-43 lead, Nelson's Keyunta Watkins missed three consecutive 3-point attempts. Watkins led the Bobcats with 20 points. Emmanuel Nzekwesi added 13 for Nelson.

Crawford's 15 points led Guyer followed by Sean Choate with 13 and Justin Griffin 10.

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