Palo Duro’s Kadden Price goes up for a layin against Tascosa during a District 3-5A play-in game at the Amarillo High Activity Center on Friday. [Tom Carver/ Press Pass Sports]
Palo Duro takes final 3-5A spot
Waiting three days made the Palo Duro Dons that much hungrier to run their streak to 20 on Friday afternoon.
As one of the casualties of the inclement weather which delayed many games this week, Palo Duro and Tascosa finally met at the Amarillo High Activity Center in a district play-in game to determine the fourth and final playoff spot out of District 3-5A. The Dons seemed like they stayed especially warm during the break, as they hit 13 3-pointers and cruised to an 88-65 win which sealed their 20th straight trip to the postseason under coach Jeff Evans.
Palo Duro (17-6) will play Abilene Cooper in a Class 5A bidistrict playoff game, tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday at Lubbock High.
The Dons and Tascosa (7-19) split their two previous district games, with the Rebels closing strong in their last meeting, scoring 16 straight points to close out a 78-62 victory. Tascosa again closed strong against the Dons but it was long after things mattered, as PD led by as many as 41 points in the fourth quarter before emptying the bench.
Palo Duro took control late in the second quarter and led 45-28 at halftime. The Dons erased any illusions of a Tascosa comeback by outscoring the Rebels 32-12 in the third quarter.
Cutter Camp, who had a game-high 22 points for PD, had 11 in the third, including three 3-pointers. Audi Luckey had 14 points for the Dons, Paetyn Walker scored 13 and Jelani Mohamed and Kadden Price had 11 each.
Javonte Gilbreath led Tascosa with 20 points, Patrick Edwards scored 13 and BT Daniel had 12.
Randall survives
It came down to the final second, however the Randall Raiders were able to survive an upset-bit from Lubbock-Cooper sneaking away with a 54-53 win in a Class 5A bidistrict thriller in Floydada on Friday.
The Raiders led 54-53 in the closing seconds, but the Pirates had one final chance. Cooper’s Patrick Irish drove the lane in between a Randall double-team and got a good look in the paint but his shot bounced off the rim with one second to play, as Randall held on for the dramatic victory.
The Raiders run their record to 22-3 overall, and will now play El Paso Ysleta in the area round at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Seminole. Cooper ends its season at 12-9.
Aaron Ovalle scored a game-high 18 points for Randall, followed by Kainan Thomas’ 17. Irish had 17 points to lead the Pirates
Friday’s top performers
Josh Tucker went off for 21 points as Childress won in impressive fashion downing Spearman in a Class 3A bidistrict game, 65-41.
Josh Booth ignited the Owls for 22 points helping Hedley to its first playoff win in 13 years in a 66-36 beating of Fort Elliott.
Wildorado won its first ever boys playoff game in school history clobbering Kress, 84-41. Mustangs standout Swayde Cleavinger paved the way during the victory with 18 points
Friday’s bidistrict scores
Class 5A
Lub. Cooper 12 30 44 53
Randall 14 21 42 54
C— Irish 17, Elliott 10. R— Ovalle 18, Thomas 17. Records: Lub. Cooper 12-9; Randall 22-3.
Palo Duro 22 45 77 88
Tascosa 16 28 40 65
PD— Cutter Camp 22, Audi Luckey 14, Paetyn Walker 13, Jelani Mohamed 11, Kadden Price 11. T— Javonte Gilbreath 20, Patrick Edwards 17, BT Daniel 12. Records: Palo Duro 17-6, Tascosa 7-19.
Class 3A
Spearman 4 15 23 41
Childress 18 31 48 65
S— Brayden Klafka 19. C— Josh Tucker 21, Lamont Nickelberry 14, Devron Sims 13. Records: Spearman 14-6; Childress 15-6.
Canadian 10 21 29 42
Abernathy 8 26 42 47
C— Cavalier 11, Cochran 10, Culwell 10. A— White 25, Rodriguez 13. Records: Canadian 7-7, Abernathy 19-6.
Class 2A
Panhandle 20 36 62 77
Sunray 3 19 31 48
P— Dylan Segura 20, Landyn Hack 16. S— Julian Espino 15, Cody Grasse 7. Records: Panhandle 17-5; Sunray 15-11.
Stratford 19 27 36 53
Wheeler 19 33 49 60
S— Duran 11, Bell 10. W— Rascon 18, Pichardo 11, Olivas 10. Records: Stratford 9-11, Wheeler 14-8.
Farwell 19 37 49 65
Lockney 5 16 28 37
F— Leefe Actkinson 15, Jonathan Mora 13, Leo Nunez 12. L— Barretero 16. Records: Farwell 25-3; Lockney 11-10.
Ralls 57, Olton 54
Class 1A
Miami 10 16 20 29
Groom 8 16 41 52
M— Thompson 16. G— Lamb 22, Kuehler 19. Records: Miami 15-10, Groom 10-6.
WIldorado 20 42 64 84
Kress 3 11 27 41
W— Cleavinger 18, Matthews 15, Lu. Mason 13, Lo. Mason 11, Blount 11. K— Reyes 11. Records: Wildorado 19-7, Kress 6-5.
Ft. Elliott 15 19 24 36
Hedley 18 30 42 66
F— Boydston 14, McDowell 10. H— Booth 22, Bond 10. Records: Ft. Elliott 9-10, Hedley 16-4.