Honey Grove Warriors win 1st Annual Ector Holiday Basketball Tournament

Ector -- Someday it may be a local trivia question: Who won the inaugural Ector Holiday Basketball Tournament?

In the boys bracket, the 1st Annual Ector Holiday Basketball Tournament championship came down to the final fraction of a second, with the Honey Grove Warriors holding off Ector in a one-point thriller.

The Warriors attacked first with Cody Joyce and Charles Sanders working inside for easy baskets. Hussian Jabai followed a miss with a putback and Honey Grove was off to a 6-0 start.

Ector's Chad Clement slid down the baseline for a basket to get the Eagles on the board, but Sanders snagged an offensive board and took it back up for an 8-2 Honey Grove lead.

Ector's Kyle Wells hit a clutch three-pointer to make it a three-point game and teammate Bradley Bingham came up with a steal and lay-up to cut Honey Grove's lead to 8-7. The Warriors responded with a 5-2 run to lead 13-9 after the opening period.

After a scoreless first quarter, Ector's Jacob Crowell scored 10 points in the second period. It was Wells with a tip-in at the buzzer as the Eagles headed to the locker room with a 25-24 lead.

A free throw by Cameron Brooks tied the game as the second half got underway. Joyce and Patt hit baskets and Joyce netted a free throw to put the Warriors on top, 30-25.

Bingham knocked down a triple and the Eagles went inside to Crowell to tie the contest on their next possession.

Ector took the lead when Bradlee Coldiron sliced through the lane for a tough shot.

Honey Grove tied it back up at 33-33 when Joyce drained a turn-around jumper from the baseline. Sanders sank a pair of free throws and Joyce hit a basket as the Warriors surged in front by four points

Bingham drove to the hoop and nailed another triple as Ector took back the lead, 40-39, going into the fourth quarter.

Jimmy Ford came weaving through heavy traffic in the lane and dropped in two points to put Ector on top, 42-39. Darius Brown pulled down an offensive rebound and went back up for a basket. Joyce hit a free throw and the teams were all knotted up at 42-42.

Ford grabbed a loose ball and banked it in for a 44-42 lead.

Joyce got loose inside for a bucket to tie the game. On Honey Grove's next trip downcourt, Joyce turned an offensive rebound into two points. Brown dropped in two from the charity stripe to give Honey Grove a 48-44 advantage.

With the game on the line, Ector looked back inside to Crowell for a hoop and a harm to make it a one-point game. Bingham hit a pair of pressure free throws to give the Eagles a 51-50 lead with 2:00 left to play in the title game.

Brooks had a timely rebound and putback to put the Warriors back on top, 52-51.

Crowell saw an opening and drove to the basket for a 53-52 Ector lead with one minute on the clock.

Honey Grove had the ball out of bounds under their own basket and inbounded the ball to Jabai. The sophomore power forward hit a baseline jumper that would turn out to be the game-winning shot as Honey Grove headed home with an exciting 54-53 win and a new addition to the trophy case.

"We've been playing physical games over last few weeks," remarked Honey Grove head coach Lee Frost. "I think that has helped us develop the type of team mental toughness and team chemistry it's going to take to have a strong finish to our season."

Cody Joyce was named tournament MVP with a average of 16 points per game and the senior post led Honey Grove in the championship game with 18 points. Charles Sanders put in 10 points, Hussian Jabai knocked down nine points, Darius Brown dropped in six points, Cam Brooks scored five, Jeremy Patt put up four points and Demontrae Finney had two points.

Ector's Jacob Crowell scored a game-high 19 points, Bradley Bingham finished with 14 points, Jimmy Ford put up 11 points, Kyle Wells contributed five points, while Bradlee Coldiron and Chad Clement both had two points.

Honey Grove (13-3, 1-0) will be back in action Tuesday, January 3 at Trenton.