JOURNAL SPORTS

KILGORE, Texas – Coming off a confidence-boosting homecourt win last Saturday, the Bossier Parish Community College basketball team faced a daunting pair of road games this week against two nationally-ranked teams that are 1-2 in the Region XIV standings.

There was no upset Wednesday night, but there was no blowout, either.

Kilgore (19-3 overall, 12-2 in the region), No. 12 in the NJCAA Top 25 and atop Region XIV, held off the Cavaliers 74-66 in a game with seven ties and six lead changes.

The Rangers raced to a 38-23 halftime advantage as the Cavs made just 8 of 28 shots, but the visitors refused to yield and outscored Kilgore 43-36 in the final 20 minutes. They did so despite making only 38 percent of their second-half shots, 29 percent on 3-pointers – but going 13-for-14 at the free throw line (17-18 for the game).

BPCC coach Jeff Moore gave his team, which has nine true freshmen among a dozen first-year players and a total roster of 15, deserved credit.

“We played very well tonight against a really good Kilgore team on the road,” said Moore. “There are no moral victories but I am extremely proud of the fight from our players — we are playing better as a team.”

True freshman guard Tony Montgomery led BPCC with 22 points. Mazin Lumori, a redshirt sophomore, scored 13 and Minden sophomore Stafford Bailey added 10.

“This freshman-loaded team has come a long way,” he said. “Our goal always will be to be playing our best basketball in March. We now turn our focus to Saturday’s game on the road against a Trinity Valley team that is ranked even higher, No. 8 in the country.

“All heads are up,” said the first-year BPCC coach. “We played like I want a Jeff Moore-coached team to play.”

After Saturday’s visit to Trinity Valley (19-4, 12-3), the Cavaliers (9-14, 3-12) are home for three of their next four games, beginning next Wednesday night.

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