By Caleb Adams

Leader Correspondent

 

ORANGEFIELD — The Orangefield Bobcats held off the Bridge City Cardinals 52-47 in Orangefield Friday night, in a pivotal district game for both teams as they are in a battle for the fourth and final playoff seed out of District 22-4A.

The Cardinals entered 22-4A play at 3-5 in district, with a two-game edge over the Bobcats, while the Bobcats entered at 1-7, but a Bobcats’ win would make things tighter with one game left and Orangefield accomplished just that.

The Bobcats (15-16, 2-7) received 16 points from Aven Lathrop as they drew to within a game of the Cardinals (10-16, 3-6).

Bridge City can earn the fourth-place playoff berth if the Cardinals defeat defending Class 4A state champion Silsbee (22-8, 9-0) at home Tuesday. A Orangefield win on the road at last-place Hamshire-Fannett (1-19, 0-9) Tuesday and a Bridge City loss to Silsbee would force a fourth-place play-in game later next week.

The Cardinals’ leading scorers were Hunter Weigreffe with 14 points and Max Baker with 12.

Alex Catt had 11 points for the Bobcats while Zach Dischler had eight and Tyrone Waggoner seven, Lathrop and Waggoner had six rebounds apiece for the Bobcats while Dischler had three steals.

The Bobcats led after the first quarter 11-8 on the Cardinals. Kaden Dubose hit two threes in the quarter to put them on top..

The Bobcats took a six-point lead halfway through the second quarter, putting the pressure on the Cardinals before the half. The Cardinals found themselves down six after the first half of play at 23-17. Wiegreffe and Chason Burch led the Cardinals with six points after the first 16 minutes. It was Burch’s three-point shot at the buzzer in the first half of 22-4A play, that gave the Cardinals a dramtic overtime home victory at 58-56.

Orangefield’s Catt led the team with eight points in the first half, and Dubose had six. As a team the Bobcats hit five three-point bombs in the first half to the Cardinals’ three.

The Bobcats held their lead at six heading into the fourth quarter at 32-26. Catt and Lathrop led the Bobcats with eight points apiece through three quarters while the Cardinals’ Burch and Weigreffe lead the team with six points each.

The Cardinals brought the game to within a bucket two minutes into the fourth quarter, but the Bobcats were able to keep them at arm’s length as the teams trade long threes.

With hopes of still making the playoffs, the Bobcats were able to keep the Cardinals’ comeback attempt at bay with solid defense and key long shots by Catt and Lathrop as they combined for five three-pointers on the night.