ORANGEFIELD – After a rough first quarter, the Orangefield Bobcats fought Class 3A state power East Chambers all the way to the end before the Buccaneers held on for a 60-50 District 22-3A victory at Bobcat Gym Tuesday night in the district opener for both teams.

The Bucs (6-1, 1-0), still trying to find their basketball legs after getting a late start due to their football program going four rounds deep into the postseason, jumped out to a 15-5 cushion at the end of the first quarter by forcing the Bobcats (14-4, 0-1) into nine of their 23 turnovers on the night.

East Chambers was then able to stretch their lead to 33-16 at the half.

Post Kam Smith led the Bucs with 19 points and also yanked down eight rebounds. He scored 12 of his points in the first-half barrage.

Point guard Ernest Ceasar collected 15 points, nine coming in the first half while forward Derexe Demoss had 10 points and eight boards for the Bucs.

Post Valentin Catt had a double-double for the Bobcats as he finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds to go along with seven blocked shots while guard Coy Bryant had 12 points, burying four three-point bombs.

The Bobcats scrapped right back into it when they went on a 17-6 barrage in the third quarter, including a 10-2 spurt at the end of the period to pull to within 39-33 going into the fourth quarter.

Bryant buried two three-pointers in the assault while Catt and Heston Puckett scored four points apiece.

The Bucs were able to get a couple big steals late after the Bobcats had trimmed it to seven at 45-37. East Chambers went on a 8-2 spurt to get back up by as much as 53-39 with a little more than three minutes remaining.

The Bucs finished with a 40-30 rebounding edge.

Guard Tyrone Waggoner had a game-high 10 rebounds for the Bobcats. Kaiden DuBose contributed eight points and five boards for the Orangefield cause.

Jayce Guillory added eight points and six boards for the East Chambers arsenal while Isaiah Crawford and Rodkale Ceasar had six rebounds each.

East Chambers finished with 14 turnovers and went 14-of-16 from the free-throw line. The Bobcats were 10-of-15 from the line.