WHITEHOUSE — Shelbi Steen scored 25 points and grabbed 19 rebounds as the Lindale Lady Eagles took a 66-54 win over Athens during the opening day of the 24th Annual Jasper Ventures Classic presented by the Tyler Area Basketball Officials.
The two-day event has a different feel to it this year. Normally packed with games all day Friday and Saturday, the event was limited to just two games each day this year due to COVID-19.
Athens actually jumped out to a 12-6 lead on Lindale, but the Lady Eagles ended the opening quarter on a 7-0 run, capped by a corner 3-pointer from Desirae Pennington.
After Janessa Kiser scored the opening bucket of the second quarter to put Athens back in front, Lindale went on a 13-2 run to end the half to lead 26-16 at the break.
During halftime, Athens head coach Jeff Teague picked up a technical foul. They waited until after the 8-minute halftime to shoot the free throws, and Steen knocked down a free throw before the third quarter began.
Lindale sprinted out to a 36-18 lead before Athens went on an 8-0 run and later had a 6-0 spurt in the third quarter. Lindale led 46-35 after three quarters.
Athens cut the deficit to seven on a couple of occasions early in the fourth quarter, but Lindale later went on a 10-2 run to put the game away.
Mimi McCollister led Athens with 24 points, eight rebounds and six steals. Kiser had 18 points and 18 rebounds. Karlie Cook scored 10 points, and Tori Williams pulled down 11 rebounds.
Brooke Everest had 11 points for Lindale (7-1). Kalaya Pierce and Pennington each scored 10 points. Lily Chamberlain grabbed six rebounds and had eight assists.
BOYS Mount Pleasant 64, Lufkin 53
Zaveion Okoh had 27 points, seven rebounds and eight steals to lead Mount Pleasant to a 64-53 win over Lufkin.
Lufkin got out to an 8-5 lead early before Mount Pleasant scored 16 points in the final 2:35 of the quarter to lead 21-14.
The Tigers held a 27-18 lead late in the second quarter. Lufkin then ended the half on an 11-0 run to lead 29-27 at the break.
Mount Pleasant came out of the locker room with a 9-0 run, and the Tigers led 42-38 after three quarters.
Down 46-40, Lufkin got two free throws by Cameron Martin, another bucket by Martin, a putback from Brandon Walker and a free throw from Martin to take a 47-46 lead.
Okoh scored on a drive to put the Tigers back in front.
The score was tied at 48 when Mount Pleasant went on a 9-0 run to go up 57-48 win 1:54 to play, and the Panthers were unable to rally back.
Walker finished with 28 points and 13 rebounds for Lufkin.
Payton Chism had 15 points, six rebounds and four steals for Mount Pleasant. Chism was one of three players in the game, joining Lufkin’s Christian Mumphrey and Malcolm Deason, who had played on a nationally televised stage.
Chism participated in the Junior NBA Global Championship, which was televised on Fox Sports 1. Mumphrey and Deason were on the Lufkin team that advanced to the Little League World Championship in 2017 with games on ESPN and ABC.
Martin finished with 9 points for Lufkin, which will play at Longview Pine Tree on Tuesday.
Saturday’s schedule for the Jasper Ventures Classic is two boys’ games — Chapel Hill vs. All Saints at noon and Whitehouse vs. Marshall at 1:30 p.m.