Hallsville Rolls over Longview Lobos, 57-38

HALLSVILLE — Ryan Cole pounded his chest and let out a roar.

A reaction fit for the Hallsville Bobcats as they hosted Longview on Friday night to wrap up the first run through District 15-5A.

Cole finished with a game-high 18 points and Hallsville buckled down in the fourth quarter for a 57-38 win over the Lobos at Bobcat Coliseum.

The win — the fifth-straight for the Bobcats — puts Hallsville at 16-7 on the season and 5-2 in 15-5A action. The Lobos drop to 10-15 overall and 2-5 in district play.

Cole finished 9-for-10 shooting on the night as Hallsville held off a second-half comeback attempt from Longview.

Junior Blaine Parker followed with 17 points, including three shots from downtown. Nolan Johnson rounded out a trio in double digits with 13 points.

For the Lobos, who have dropped four of their last six, Jaiden Smith led the way with 10 points and six rebounds. Antwone Anthony followed with nine and Kaland Johnson added eight points with three assists.

Hallsville finished with 26 rebounds with Longview pulling down 26. The Lobos committed 18 turnovers while the Bobcats had 16 total in the win.

From the field, Hallsville finished 16-for-26 shooting and 5-for-19 from three-point range. The Lobos, who were held to six points in the first quarter and eight in the fourth, finished 11-for-34 from the field and 2-for-8 from beyond the arc.

The night started poorly for Longview, who turned the ball over on its four-straight possessions. The fifth shot attempt was blocked by 6-7 forward Coleton Lassetter.

Parker opened scoring with a putback and added five more points in the first quarter as Hallsville built a 14-6 lead after the first eight minutes.

Cole opened an eight-point second quarter with back-to-back jumpers, an area the senior excelled in throughout the night to give Hallsville an early 12-point lead.

Kaland Johnson had back-to-back free throws and Smith had a dunk off an assist from Anthony as Longview whittled the margin down to single digits. Parker ended the run with his second three of the first half as Hallsville staked a 28-18 lead at the break.

Cole opened the third quarter in similar fashion before an offensive rebound and bucket from Smith sparked an 8-0 run from the Lobos with Anthony draining a three to pull Longview to within five, 30-25, with 5:05 left in the third quarter.

But Parker responded with one of his own and Cole added another pair of jumpers down the stretch for a 37-30 Bobcat lead after three.

That lead quickly went back to double digits after Nolan Johnson connected from deep following a driving layup from Cole.

Eric Cavness had a three and Anthony followed with a pair of free throws to pull the Lobos within seven, 42-35, with 5:30 to play.

Kaland Johnson completed a three-point play with 4:02 left but that was it for the Lobos the rest of the way as Hallsville capped the 19-point win on a 15-3 run throughout the end of the game.

Hallsville will start the second half of play back at Bobcat Coliseum as undefeated Marshall, an 84-55 winner over Sulphur Springs on Friday, comes to town on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Longview will travel to Pine Tree.

NEWHOUSE HONORED

Prior to the start of Friday night's contest, Hallsville ISD held a special ceremony to honor Galilee High School graduate and the late former Dallas Cowboy Robert Newhouse as a part of the league's Super Bowl High School Honor Roll program.

"It was something to be the son of an NFL player," Newhouse's son, Rodd Newhouse said. "To us, he was dad. To Hallsville, he was Robert. He was proud to be from Hallsville."

Following statements from Hallsville athletic director David Plunk and superintendent Jim Dunlap, a video clip showing Newhouse's fourth-quarter halfback pass that helped seal the Cowboys' win over the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XII.

"It's when our hometown hero became a Super Bowl hero," Dunlap said.

Rodd Newhouse, surrounded by friends and family, concluded the ceremony by announcing that, in honor of his father, a GoFundMe account, behind the hashtag #44Strong, would be set up with the goal of raising $44,000 in 44 days with the proceeds going to heart disease research.

(Follow Hayden Henry on Twitter: @hayden_h)

From ETVarsity

http://www.etvarsity.com/news/2016/jan/23/et-basketball-cole-hallsville-roll-over-longview-l/