by Austin Coats, sports editor

In their first home game of the season, the A&M Consolidated men’s basketball team faced the Magnolia High School Bulldogs. After winning their first two games on the road, the Tigers fell in this one 64-63.

The two teams played a competitive first half, ending 30-27. A strong start from Magnolia helped them to their 13-10 lead at the end of the first quarter. In the second quarter, the Tigers took the lead at 26-25 from a Derrick Dick layup on a fast break. His seven points in the quarter helped the Tigers to their lead at the half.

In the third quarter, Magnolia worked quickly and furiously. The Bulldogs almost doubled their first half points, putting up 25 while only allowing six.

However, the Tigers went into the final quarter resolute. Sophomore Tre Flowers led the Tigers attack in the quarter, scoring thirteen of the team’s twenty-seven. With 6.8 seconds left, junior Trey Pulliam hit a three to cut the deficit to one. On the resulting throw-in from Magnolia, the ball was thrown down to the other end of the court and ended up out of bounds, only taking three-tenths of a second off of the clock. Flowers received the throw-in, dribbled quickly down court, drove through the lane into two Magnolia players. Readjusting himself, Flowers released a shot, but it hit the rim and bounced away from the net as the buzzer sounded.

The Tigers will participate in the Georgetown tourney at the end of the week, then play Temple at home next Tuesday.