Damo, Indians trip up Bears in OT, 58-55
Published 10:08 pm Tuesday, November 14, 2017
- Leader Photo by Van Wade LC-M's Cole Frost (4) looks to drive around PN-G's Drake Rojas Tuesday night at Bear Gym.
LITTLE CYPRESS — Rising the hot shooting hand of guard Edsel Damo, the Port Neches-Groves Indians spoiled the home opener for the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Bears in their first game at their new gym “The Grove” 58-55 in overtime Tuesday night in the season opener for both squads.
Damo filtered in a game-high 27 points, scoring 16 of them in the fourth period and the extra session.
Damo ripped four three-pointers in the final 12 minutes. He had 11 points at the half, had a scoreless third quarter, before pouring it on down the stretch.
LC-M sharp-shooter Braden Bridges had a nice outing for the Bears, scoring 24 points. He hit four three-pointers and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line. Bridges had a three-point shot at the buzzer at the end of regulation that glanced the front of the rim as he barely missed a game-winner and the game went into the extra session with the score knotted at 49-49.
LC-M forward Christian Weatherly chimed in with a big double-double, tallying 18 points while snaring 10 rebounds.
LC-M got off to a cold start as the Indians led 14-6 at the end of the first quarter as Damo filtered in 10 points and buried a pair of treys.
The Bears go to within 23-20 at intermission as Bridges fired in seven of his points in the second quarter.
LC-M’s Cole Frost gave the Bears their first lead with a three-point bomb to make it 34-33 late in the third and the Bears carried a 36-33 edge heading to the fourth quarter.
In a game that was nip-and-tuck throughout, PN-G was able to scratch out the victory.
The Bears finished with a 33-25 rebounding edge.
Drake Rojas had eight points for the Indians. Brandon Petix had six points and six boards while Tracy Smith had five points and a team-high seven rebounds.
Frost finished with six points for the Bears while Tristan Rhodes hauled in eight boards.
Both teams finished with 20 turnovers.
LC-M went 18-of-26 from the free-throw line while the Indians connected on just 9-of-19.
The Bears will look to bounce back Friday when they play host to the Vidor Pirates.
