East Central Texas News

Lee's 16th-ranked Navigators got a team-high 13 points off the bench from Darrell Washington and Djahi Binet and buried the Bulldogs 86-66 as Region XIV basketball resumed Wednesday after a 24-day holiday break at the near-empty Wolens Center.

Coach Nick Wade's South Zone-leading Navigators (13-3/5-0) posted their eighth consecutive victory and opened up a two-game division lead over second-place Blinn and Coastal Bend (both 9-6/3-2).  The Navigators' statement win on the road to begin 2023 featured four double-figure scorers, a decisive 44-29 rebounding advantage, and a bench that outscored NC, 44-29.

To compound issues, coach Grant McMillan's Bulldogs (10-5/3-2) shot a season-low 37.1 percent from the floor (23-of-62) and never recovered from a first half when they fell behind 46-26.  Navarro, winner of seven of its last nine, absorbed its second loss at home and its most lopsided defeat.

Balanced Lee, which has played six ranked opponents in its first 15 games, got 12 points each from starters Malcolm Steadman and Landyn Jumawan, plus nine points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals from Nick Traylor.

Navarro got a team-high 16 points from Braelon Bush and 14 off the bench from Zane Butler, who were a combined 12-of-21 shooting from the floor.  Sophomore forward Addarin Scott added seven points and seven boards.

The Bulldogs, now in a tie with Tyler for fourth place in the East Zone,  continue crossover zone play Saturday when they travel to Jacksonville for a 4 pm game against Louis Truscott's Jaguars (2-13/1-4).

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LEE 86, NAVARRO 66SCORE BY HALVESLee…………46…….40    -- 86Navarro….26…….40    -- 66LEE: Darrell Washington 13, Djahi Binet 13, Malcolm Steadman 12, Landyn Jumawan 12, Nick Traylor 9, Josh Cooper 9, Jorge Moreno 7, Tidjiane Dioumassi 6,  TaJae Jenkins 2.  TOTALS:  (39-69)-(5-14)-(8-15)-20-86.NAVARRO: Braelon Bush 16, Zane Butler 14, Zane Nelson 9, Addarin Scott 7, Trae Clayton 6, Osiris Mahr 4, Colby Henderson 3, R.J. Moore 2, Trevon Love 2.  TOTALS: (23-62)-(4-21)-(16-27)-11-66.Foul Out: None.Rebounds:  Lee 44, Navarro 29.   NC (Scott 7)Assists:  Kee 15, Navarro 9.  NC (Bush 3)Steals: Lee 6, Navarro 8.  NC (Love 3)Blocked Shots:  Lee 7, Navarro 2.  NC  (Scott, R.J. Moore, 1 each)

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REGION XIV MENS BASKETBALL(As of Thursday, January 5, 2023)EAST ZONE STANDINGSTEAM……,,,.(ALL)……(CONF)Kilgore…………..12-3…….4-1Panola……………12-3…….4-1Paris…………………8-8…….4-1Navarro………….10-5…….3-2Tyler……………….10-5…….3-2TVCC…………………1-14…..1-4BPCC…………………8-6……..0-5

SOUTH ZONE STANDINGSTEAM…………(ALL)…..(CONF)Lee………………….13-3………5-0Blinn…………………9-6……….3-2Coastal Bend…….9-6……….3-2Angelina……………8-7……….2-3Victoria……………..2-13……..1-4Jacksonville……….2-13………1-4Lamar State………..6-9……….1-4

GAMES SATURDAY, JANUARY 7Panola at Coastal Bend, NoonBossier Parish at Victoria, 2 pmNavarro at Jacksonville, 4 pmKilgore at Blinn, 4 pmParis at Lamar State-Port Arthur, 4 pmTyler at Angelina, 4 pmTVCC at Lee, 4 pm

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