Gordon makes first-ever trip to boys basketball championship round
Story By David May
Special to Mineral Wells Area News
SAN ANTONIO – You knew the nation’s top scorer would get his points – and he did. Benjamin’s junior guard Grayson Rigdon dropped 32 points to lead the Mustangs to a 75-58 Class 1A state semifinal win Thursday morning over the Gordon Longhorns.
Playing inside the Alamodome, the ‘Horns were playing in the school’s first-ever basketball state semifinal. The loss ended their hopes of dual football and boys basketball championships in the same school year.
To the ‘Horns credit, they held Rigdon to 15 points under his nation-best 47.6 points-per-game average. Gordon sophomore wing Stryker Reed tried matching Rigdon’s points total, scoring 27 points. The ‘Horns had two other players score in double figures – sophomores Riley Reed with 12 and Brayden Walter scoring 11.
The Mustangs also had two other players finish in double figures. Weston Weatherford tallied 20 and Jules Pugi added 13 as Benjamin (24-1) won the game in the paint and at the free throw line, outscoring Gordon 52-24 around the basket while sinking 11 of their 14 free throws. Gordon shot just four times from the charity stripe, making three.
The ‘Horns never led in the contest. Aiden Shank hit a three-pointer early in the opening quarter to make it 4-3 Benjamin. But the Mustangs went on a 10-point run before Stryker Reed canned two field goals to bring Gordon back to within six. They never got closer as Benjamin gradually built and maintained a double-digit lead throughout the last three quarters.
Gordon’s Maddox Stewart and Aiden Shank each scored three points on a pair of made deep balls. Gatlin Simmons added two points on a field goal.
Gordon shot 36.5% for the game, making 23 of their 63 shots. The ‘Horns hit nine three-balls on 28 attempts.
Read the complete game stats here.
The ‘Horns end their season with a 21-7 record. The game matched the two Class 1A football champions. Benjamin won the Division II title and Gordon the Division I title in December.
Gordon last season made it to the basketball regional semifinals, losing to Graford. This year they avenged that loss by taking down the top-ranked and two-time defending champions to qualify for the trip to San Antonio.
Benjamin will face Jayton for the Class 1A title Saturday after the Jaybirds flew past Fayetteville, 65-26, in Thursday’s other semifinal game.
With seven sophomores and three freshmen, the ‘Horns are in a great position to make another strong run at a state championship next season.