Varsity Bears clinch post season berth
By Chad Wilson Editor

Chad Wilson Photo Brownsboro's Joe Denney has returned well from injury and has helped the Bears earn a playoff spot.

Editor

After a ten year wait the Varsity Bears basketball team is back in the playoffs.

By defeating Chapel Hill 50- 47 last Tuesday in Chapel Hill the Bears clinched the third seed in District 14-3A. Last season the Bears just missed out on the third seed as they fell to Bullard in a district playoff game.

The last time the Bears were in the playoffs (1998) they were coached by Gary Shiffner and led on the court by current BISD teachers Billy Beasley, Seth Scott and Derek Sims.

In 1998 Brownsboro was a Class 4A team and finished the season with a 28-9 record.

There is good reason to believe this will not be the last playoff game for the Bears over the next ten years. The Bears will return three current starters and several key players to next years squad including lead- ing scorer Ryan Smith.

Brownsboro faced off against Mabank in Wills Point on Tuesday after press time. If the Bears won the game they will face Pittsburg in the area round.

As of Tuesday Pittsburg was ranked #10 in Class 3A. The game against Pittsburg could possibly be played on Friday in Tyler at Robert E. Lee High School Bears coach Jeff Hutchins said.

Overcoming several injuries throughout the season the Bears need just one win last week to earn a playoff spot, but so did the Chapel Hill Bulldogs.

Chapel Hill raced out to a 5- 0 lead before ending the first period leading 17-11. The `Dogs kept their lead for the entire first half as the score at halftime read 28-19.

Brownsboro battled back in the third quarter outscoring the `Dogs 8-0 to begin the period, cutting the Chapel Hill lead to 30-27.

Entering the fourth period both crowds were energized by the play on the floor as Chapel Hill led 37-30.

Brownsboro overcame the seven point Bulldogs lead with 3:46 left in the game when Tristian Warren sank a shot from inside the paint to give the Bears their first lead of the second half 42-41.

As the Brownsboro crowd went wild the Bears continued to battle with the Bulldogs.

Nailing a long three, the Bulldogs tied the game at 45 with 1:45 remaining before taking a two point lead with 1:30 to play.

Running a new play designed for a possible late game situation Warren sank another shot from inside the paint to recapture the lead for the Bears, 48- 47 with :53 to play.

Brownsboro's defense stifled Chapel Hill over the next twenty seconds forcing the Bulldogs to burn a timeout. Both squads missed a free throw with :32 left to play before a series of loose balls would stop the clock.

With :02 left in the game Brownsboro gained possession of the ball after the ball went off a Chapel Hill defender.

Andrew Adair was fouled on the inbounds pass by the Bulldogs with :01 remaining. Adair sank both free throws increasing the Bears lead to 50-47.

Chapel Hill's last season halfcourt three point attempt was off the mark as Bears' players stormed the court.

Sophomore Kyle Price led the Bears in scoring with 14 points. Senior Joe Denney also scored in double figures with 12 points in his final regular season game.

Denney, Price, Adair and Ryan Smith all hit a three pointer for the Bears in the win.

Brownsboro 11 8 11 20 - 50
Chapel Hill 17 11 9 10 - 47
K.Price 14, J.Denney 12, A.Adair
8, T.Warren 8, R.Smith 7, Bailey 1.