By Ronnie Hughes

Leader Correspondent

LITTLE CYPRESS — The fans in attendance for the Tuesday night match-up between cross town rivals, West Orange-Stark and Little Cypress-Mauriceville were in for a treat. A tale of two halves with the second half bouncing in favor of the LC-M Bears who ultimately pulled out the come from behind win to down the WO-S Mustangs, 61-52 in District 24-4A action at The Bear Cave.

After a close-knit affair last Friday with the Bridge City Cardinals edging out the Mustangs the Stangs’ would hope for a different outcome Tuesday night. Despite 15 points from senior, T.J. Wallace and a 28-20 halftime lead the Mustangs were unable to stop a Battlin’ Bears surge in the second half of play. The loss puts the Mustangs on a two-game skid in district 24-4A while the Bears found their winning ways again.

Both teams are now 2-3 in district play.

The Mustangs got up early in the first quarter with Wallace capping off a 12-3 run with a big-time three-point shot following an Aric Cormier steal. Wallace notched 8 points in the first quarter as the Stangs’ were on a roll leading 14-5 after one quarter of play.

The Bears, however, began to put the pressure on the Mustangs with Cameron Parker sparking the once stale offense after hitting his first of five three-point shots on the night. Katon Brown also stepped up battling the boards and getting several put backs to salvage missed opportunities by the Bears. Jordan Garcia hit a late 2^nd quarter three-pointer followed by another Parker three to pull the Bears closer at the half down just 28-20. LC-M outscored West Orange-Stark 15-14 in the second quarter and would carry over the momentum into the second half.

Parker picked up right where he left off in the first half by launching a three-point shot from the corner to cut the Mustang lead to just 6 points. Moments later he’d hit his 4^th of the night to pull the Bears within two points, trailing just 32-30. After Brown hit two clutch free throws to tie the game at 32 apiece he’d steal the end bound pass from the Mustangs and put it up for an easy lay-up and the first Bears lead of the night. LC-M ended the third quarter on an 11-0 run and the lead 39-32. Brown ended up leading the Bears on the night, collecting a double-double with 18 points and 10 boards. Parker finished with 15 points while Ayson Simmons had 10.

A relentless Wallace pushed right back to open the fourth for the Mustangs. He’d hit a three from the top of the arch to get the mighty Mustang fans on their feet and cut the lead to two points. However, With the game close the Mustangs were unable to connect on crucial free-throw shots late in the game. KJ Miller, who had 13 points, tied the game for the Mustangs after a beautiful pull up three-point shot, but the momentum was short lived and the Bears finished off the night on a 7-0 run and Andrew Daspit made two free throws to shut down any hopes of Mustangs comeback. The Bears had three players in double digit points on the night with Jacolven Provost chipping in 10 points.

The Bears will travel to Orangefield to take on a Bobcats team that is coming off a big win over the Cardinals of Bridge City. Mustangs will have their hands full as the #1 state ranked 4A Silsbee Tigers coming to town.