ORANGEFIELD — The Orangefield Bobcats battled a much taller Jasper team hard in their first game of the Tennison Tournament Thursday but came up a little short to the Bulldogs 51-41.

Jasper’s 6-6 post Ashton Thomas chimed in with a double-double, scoring 20 points and snagging 10 rebounds despite getting in foul trouble in the second half.

The Bulldogs led 10-5 at the end of the first quarter but the Bobcats, sparked by Caleb Kress tied it at 22-22 before Jasper’s Leontay Sells scored on a three-point play to give the Bulldogs a 25-22 halftime edge.

Kress led the Bobcats with 16 points, 12 of them coming in the first half.

Jasper went on a 17-8 run in the third quarter to take control of the game. Thomas filtered in nine points in the quarter including a huge three-pointer that put the Bulldogs up 37-24.

Wesley Frillou finished with 11 points for the Bobcats as he drained three three-point shots. Ryan Deutsch and Aven Lathrop tallied five points apiece. Alex Catt led the Bobcats with six rebounds.

Sells finished with 11 points for Jasper. Anthony Johnson had seven points. Clark Scuza had six points and six boards while Decorian Holmes had eight boards.

Jasper outrebounded the Bobcats 37-28. The Bobcats had 18 turnovers while the Bulldogs had 22.

Orangefield was 10-of-16 from the free-throw line while Jasper went 10-of-13.