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Parker Whisenhunt (20) and head coach Brandon Shaver watch the game from the sideline. Staff photo by Don Wallace
Haire, Alexander tally 14 points
The Sulphur Springs Wildcats defended their home court well Tuesday night against No. 12 stateranked Paris taking a 63-49 upset win.
The rollicking crowd at the SSHS gym saw the home team jump out to a quick 10-point lead in the first quarter and never look back as they down the Paris Wildcats in a non-district basketball battle.
Class 5A power Sulphur Springs went to 2-0 for the year while the Class 4A Paris squad fell to 1-1 on the young season.
Three players scored in double figures for the home squad. Long range shooter Caleb Alexander tallied 14, including four, 3-pointers. The inside game for Sulphur Springs was led by 14 points from Justin Haire. Haire, a signee to play basketball next season for Dallas Baptist University, used his 6-6 frame to help neutralize the talented Paris squad. Parker Whisenhunt added 12 points off the bench, six coming in the key fourth period. Whisenhunt also contributed some key rebounds and was a force with tenacious defense. Bryson Lynn tallied eight points.
Other scorers for the Wildcats were Cason Arrington with six points from two 3-pointers; Kordrick Turner tossed in six and Malachi Myles hit one 3-pointer.
Highly recruited senior
6-7 player Jaelyn Lee of Paris scored 19 points, but only had three points in the final period as he battled foul problems. Braylin Mickens and Garius Savage scored 12 each.
Statistics reveal Haire with seven rebounds, three steals, two assists; Whisenhunt had five rebounds, four steals; Arringtons and Turner, six rebounds each.
“Lee is one of the best players in this area. We knew if he got hot he could hurt us. He single-handledly kept them in the game. We doubled him and tried to keep the ball out of his hands,” said Brandon Shaver, Wildcats head basketball coach. “I’m proud of the way we played.”
The win was the first home victory for Shaver, the new Wildcat head basketball coach hired in June.
Shaver said, “Paris is good, they’re ranked in Class 4A and they gave us a battle. We’re going to be tested early this season. I was glad to see how we responded to the challenge at home in front of our fans. We jumped out to a quick lead, that’s the fifth time we’ve done that. We like to set the tone.”
In the first quarter the hometown Wildcats took a quick lead with Arrington connecting for a slick 3-pointer from the left wing. Sulphur Springs had a 3-0 lead some 30 seconds into the game and were off and rolling. Lynn swished the net with a soft running buck. Teammate Arrington again found the range with a triple and the Sulphur Spring lead went to 10-2. Garius Savage and and Mickens scored for the visitors. But the points were answered with a 3-pointer from Turner of Sulphur Springs. Defensive pressure continued to keep Paris off their game, the first period ended with the home team up by 10, 19-9 as action moved the second frame.
Paris had their best quarter of the game in the second period with a 16-13 scoring run on Sulphur Springs. Points during that stretch game by big inside players Lee and Mickens. Lee got free for a dunk off a steal. Sulphur Springs struck back with points from Haire and. Whisenhunt. Sulphur Springs got a momentum building 3-pointer at the buzzer from Myles. At the intermission break, both sets of Wildcats were tired. The home team held a 32-25 advantage.
Paris had ideas of cutting down the Sulphur Springs lead in the third period with two quick buckets from Lee. Sulphur Springs responded with 3-pointers from Alexander as he twice dialed long distance pumping in points. Paris called a time out with 2:29 left in the period, down 43-32. Sulphur Springs finished the third period strong, holding a 50-38. The final basket for the home team, another late 3-point this time it was Alexander making the buzzer beating shot.
The fourth quarter action started with Sulphur Springs up 50-38. The hometown Wildcats knew two things - Lee was in foul trouble and they could win if they took care of the ball. Lee picked up his fourth foul, but stayed in the game and wasn’t a factor.
Whisenhunt scored six points late, two coming off put back rebounds on offense. He also turned a steal into a dunk to delight the home fans. Sulphur Springs won by the 63-49 final.