Cardinal 1

He didn't play the last 5 mins of the 3rd or the entire 4th quarter and didn't enter the game until middle of the OT, which is why they lost. The coach apologized for it and said it was on himself, he got caught up in the game and forgot to sub. Not sure what you mean by ill advise shots down the stretch as he wasn't in the game at all. As far as defense goes, his job and #5 are to protect the paint and backside help unless they are guarding an actual guard. It's not lazy defense, its help defense as they only time they guard their man fully is if they have ball. The rest of the time they are in help. Anyway he put up 10pts 5rebs 1stl and 1blk playing just half the game. You are correct in he had a bad shooting game going 0-4 from 3. He was tied for second leading scorer and second in rebounding only playing HALF THE GAME. The leading scorer only had 13pts. So what you're saying doesn't match the numbers as the player you said stood out to you had 9 TOs and just 10pts in over 30mins of play (he had a bad game because #23 was on the bench and is the other primary ball handler). Numbers don't lie, but apparently folks eyes do a whole lot.

No you're just watching it as a fan and not a coach and can only see the game once 🤷🏾‍♂️. Not sure what I said that you feel is wrong. Analytics are real numbers based on film not opinion. Based on this thread and others I can see why the transfer portal in college basketball went into the thousands 🤣. Opinions vs analytics, the numbers will always win in the end and tell the truth.

No Silsbee is in the other 4A district.

HJ boys played this summer with each other in grassroots tournaments. They are far ahead of a lot of teams in chemistry because of that. HJ isn't more talented then HF, they have better chemistry. HF still trying to figure out their roles, HJ knows theirs which is why they won. My son has played and trained with many of the HJ players since 7th grade so they all are familiar with each other and good friends. Him and RJ know each other's game like the back of their hands. It was fun for me actually watching the game and them play. I just didn't like the way we lost in not feeding our big man #5 down low or running pick and roll between him and #23. HJ ran pick and pop between Sears and Davis which gave both of them opportunities to get to their spots. The better prepared team won yesterday for sure. Game two at HF will definitely be another good one and might determine the Championship.

Two staters went 8/25 total with 10 TOs while your other two went 11/20 total with 2 TOs and one of them had a bad shooting night from 3 and still had a 47% FG. You ride the mismatches in games and put the ball in the hands of your high percentage shooters. It may change from game to game, but not when you have a stud. They are always the mismatch that others must play off of them. HJ had Sears which opened up things for Davis and Malbrough, HF is trying to give everyone an equal opportunity which keeps back firing in tough or close games. But at the sametime you have to have players who want to win no matter what and who scores. Knowing your role which is based on your abilities and skills is a big problem for teams with a lot of talent. Everyone can't be "the man" or "the guy". You simply have to do what you do best that helps the team win. Ardoin #23 is my kid and that's why he can put up 20pts as well as numbers in every statistical category every game, because he does whatever the coach ask him to do at any given time during the game. When told to take over, he does. The freedom to simply do so was taken from him after some players and parents complained when he was dropping 25-30pts in games and responsible for them winning. Last year Rideaux didn't care who got mad, he played the best players that fit that game and ran the offense through the mismatches. If it was one player, that player got the ball every single offensive possession and the others played off them. A lot of parents didn't like him for that and he didn't care one bit. He won games period!

HF has a go to guy, two as a matter of fact, they weren't getting the ball down the stretch as one was on the bench for some reason most of the 4th and half the 3rd, and the other didn't touch the ball last 5 mins of the game despite having 21pts. Their offense is read and react, not pick and roll like HJ. #2 went 4/12, 0-3 from 3, had 6 TOs, only 2 rebounds. That's why analytics are very important and not just the eyes. What you saw was a kid who's girlfriend was probably in the stands and he was trying to impress 🤣. #5 only got 5 touches total going 4/5 when it should have been over 10 plus. That's not on the players at all. Sears doesn't demand the ball down the stretch, he doesn't have to, it's an automatic given rule by the coach. #3 for HJ was the x factor for them. He gave 14pts all off rebounds and hustle plays. Brown was being held by Ardoin and for some crazy reason they had Brown holding him a lot in the game which is why he wasn't a factor and in foul trouble. Hard to defend and get by another guard that has you by 30lbs 🤷🏾‍♂️. He's a good kid though, comes from a great family.

HJ had plan and stuck to it. HF unfortunately hasn't figured out who's the leader of the team and the go to guy down the stretch. Every team has to have that guy who statistically can get high percentage buckets under pressure in closing. Sears is HJs, HF has guards who fight over the ball and that's because in my opinion the coaching staff doesn't want to hurt feelings and is trying to be way too fair. HF offense also doesn't fit all it's players. It's a read and react offense that requires a level of basketball IQ that only maybe 3 or 4 of the guys on the entire team has enough to run. At the end of the day HF had two of the biggest and most skill guys on the court and neither of them touched the ball in the post or ran pick and roll win each other because that's not the offense they run. HJ ran pick and roll/pop all night between their two best offensive players and everyone else played defense and played off those players. Ardoin had a bad shooting night from 3 going 2-6 but still put in 21pts 8rebs 3stls 2blks. HF took way to many band shots down the stretch with players who don't know, or refuse to play, their roles! Everyone can't be the man or the closer. There can be only one and it's always the guy or guys who are the clear mismatches on offense and last nigh it was Ardoin and Denson. Neither of them touched the ball much down the stretch in scoring positions. No one else should have taken a shot in the last 5 mins of that game for HF but them two players as Sears and Davis where for HJ. Defining roles is on the coaches, not the players.

#23 defending all night lol. Had 21pts, 8 rebs, 2blks, and 3stls. His job is help defense and guarding the forwards from the other team being the biggest player. When he was switched on Sears, he came off the ball. #2 plays the PG which means he guards the 1 and the 2 along with #5. HJ runs their offense through their 1 and 2 so yeah they will be one on one all night in a spread/motion offensive on defense. You are right, no he didn't touch the ball much down the stretch which is on the coach as he and Denson where the mismatches that HJ had no answers for. Also Sears had less then 5 rebs, no steals, no blks. Defensive rebs, steals, and blks determine defense last time I checked. Sears was dominant down the stretch offensively due to his coach putting the ball in his hand as he should and he went right at HFs best defender and did his thing. Looked very good and with the win, yeah he should be picked as the best player that night. But statically he wasn't.

Back to back 3s from Davis Jr with 2:30 left in the 4th made the separation. Was just a two point game before that. HF offensively started stalling down the stretch. Guys trying to be heros started playing out of their talent levels and abilities instead of putting the ball in the hands of their best player 🤦🏾‍♂️. HJ put the ball in the hands of Sears and rode him down the stretch which freed up Davis for those shots. It's real simple when you have a stud player in close games. You put the ball in their hands

Yeah he's lucky the complaining schools didn't have connections to the UIL excecutive and deputy director like ..... nevermind. Let's just say a certain kid been waiting over a year for some pay back.

OF will attempt to slow the ball down as much as possible. They aren't bad against the press and can hit from outside. Silsbee by 15

If you think HJ has the best overall player on the court then you must don't watch anyone else play or keep up with recruiting news. He's a solid player, not doubt, but not the best overall player. He'll be matched by Coleman tonight who's probably the best on the ball defender in the district and most athletic, and Coleman is not even the best player on HFs team. When they are firing on all cylinders, HF is impressive. It's just hard to determine which team will show up. Their best player always does, and will be particularly motivated for this game. Of course I'll be rooting for HF, but either team can win this game by 2-4 pts.

4 losses last week, why wouldn't they be? District is all that matters as far as the playoffs go. They'll still be at the top at 1 or 2 in their district and back ranked in a couple weeks

Injuries and illnesses got HF in this game. Ardoin couldn't finish due to dehydration, he played ever second of the Hitchcock game and the majority of the previous three before that. He had 8 points in the first qtr and then his body began to shut down, caught the shakes. Coleman went home Friday sick, which is their second leading scorer and best on the ball defender. Back up forward rolled his ankle on Friday as well. They played that game down their two leading scorers, defenders, and rebounders.

HF vs Jacksonville 1:30pm

Just a bad game, happens. 🤷🏾‍♂️

HF beat Central Heights earlier, then lost 50-48 to Hitchcock in semifinals.

I remember some folks told me I was crazy for saying they would by December 🤔

Orangefield never lead

Tough OF team, well coached. HF playing a back to back after a tough loss to Nederland at home. Best player got into foul trouble early along with another starter which slowed the game down, but HF lead the entire way.

OF is always a solid team and playing them in a back to back makes it even tougher, but HF had the game from start to finish. Foul trouble really was the tale of the tape in this one. Ardoin and Coleman both were in foul trouble early on. Sat most of the first half, Ardoin got his 4th foul in the 3rd and sat until mid 4th qrt. He only played half the game due to foul trouble.

HF just got back two starters from football who haven't had a practice yet with the team and it showed. A lot of missed layups! HF was winning going into the 4th, but Nederland was a more cohesive unit down the stretch. HF will be just fine, guys just have to get their legs under them and gel with the new system.

40 HF 38 Ned end of 3rd

HF 93 Woodville 66 Final

HF 42 vs Woodville 25 at the half