Mules vs. Floydada & Abernathy Shootout. (12-9&11-13-2014)

Mules vs. Floydada & Abernathy Shootout. (12-9&11-13-2014)

The Mules suffered a tough loss at Floydada Tuesday night to the Whirlwinds. The Mules kept coming back but lost 45-43. The Mules then entered the Abernathy Shootout over the weekend.

The varsity boys play a round robin tournament that is made up of two pools. The Mules, Abernathy, Nazareth, Lubbock Titans (a home school group) and Lubbock Monterey JV made up Pool A.

The Mules lost their opening game to Nazareth 49-40 and then was eased out by Abernathy 44-41. The Monterey JV slipped by the Mules Friday after noon 75-72 and the Lubbock Titans out scored the Mules 22-12 in the last period to defeat the Mules 51-47.

After losing five close games the Mules defeated the Lubbock Coronado JV 68-43 in their final game of the Shootout.

The Mules raced out to a 9-3 lead in the first period at Floydada. Dagen Dunham made a 3-pointer from the left wing to get the Mules started. Tony Castillo made a pair of free throws and Jason Florez finished a fast break. Josh Lopez drove the floor and was fouled shooting. He made both from the charity line.

Danny Campos grabbed a long rebound and put the ball up and in from the elbow to start the second period. The Winds cut the lead to 11-8 before Dunham added a free throw. Grey Johnson picked off a Wind pass and drove the floor. He was fouled while shooting and made one free throw.

Floydada had cut the Mules’ lead to 18-15 by the intermission.

The Winds came out firing after the half and had taken a 38-32 lead over the Mules. The Winds extended their lead with a pair of charity tosses before Johnson pumped in a 3-pointer from the corner.

Dunham nailed a trey from the left wing to cut the Winds’ lead to 42-41 with 48 seconds left in the game. Floydada made one free throw and Campos was fouled on the rebound but missed the charity toss. The two teams swapped baskets before time expired.

Dunham led the Mules with 15 points and Castillo dropped in eight points. Campos finished with six points, Johnson and Florez dropped in four points each. Lopez had three points and Wes Clarkson made two points. JJ Gandara chipped in one point.

The Mules jumped on Nazareth early and rained down 3-pointers. Castillo started the barrage, Clarkson made two treys and Dunham made one. The Mules led 20-10 at the end of the opening quarter.

Clarkson finished the game with four treys to lead the Mules with 12 points and Castillo made eight. Campos added six points, Dunham made all five of his points in the first period and Blayne Shipman finished with four. Florez added three points and Gandara chipped in two.

Dunham put back an offensive rebound for a hoop to beat the buzzer to give the Mules an 8-6 lead over Abernathy. Lopez and Florez paced the Mules in scoring with eight points each.

Castillo finished with seven points, Dunham scored six and Shipman made five points. Campos made all four of his points in the second period and Clarkson dropped in three points.

The Mules owned the Monterey JV in the first quarter and jumped out to an18-12 lead. The Mules extended their advantage to 40-32 by the intermission. The Mules converted 10 of 14 free throws in the first half. Monterey made up the difference in the final period and out scored the Mules 21-12.

Florez led the Mules with 23 points and Dunham was just behind with 21. Castillo finished with 15 points, Clarkson had six points and Lopez made three. Campos and Gandara chipped in two points each.

The Titans jumped in front of the Mules 17-12 in the first period but the Mules battled back to knot the game at 22-22 by the intermission. The Mules had built a 35-29 lead by the end of the third period. The Titans out scored the Mules 22-12 in the final period.

Dunham led the Mules with 15 points and Florez finished with eight. Clarkson and Castillo dropped in seven points each and Lopez made four. Roman Franco, Shipman and Campos chipped in two points apiece.

Dunham led the Mules against the Coronado JV with 18 points, Florez finished with 16 and Campos made 14. Clarkson dropped in eight points and Shipman added four. Lopez, Castillo, Saul Sanchez and Gandara chipped in two points apiece.

The Mules traveled to Lubbock Roosevelt Tuesday to play the Eagles before taking the Christmas break. The Mules will be back in action in the Texico Wolverine Tournament December 28-31. The Mules travel to Lamesa January 2 and return home January 6 to host the Bovina Mustangs.