At top, the Brook Hill Guard poses with first-place trophy. Clockwise from the bottom left, BHS guard, Daniel Howard goes to the hole. Guard’s, Jeremey Chappelle takes a shot. Point guard, Lance Anding goes up for a bucket. Guard post, Luke Clardy gets set for shot. See page 7 for all the Bullard box scores from the Wagstaff Classic. TYLER – With 2,000-plus avid basketball fans on hand, the first ever, ‘Battle of Bullard’ was the highlight of the Wagstaff Holiday Basketball Classic on the Tyler Junior College campus.

Capturing career win 602 for Brook Hill, head coach Wally Dawkins and his Brook Hill Guard won in their first appearance of the tournament, winning in a classic game over the Bullard Panthers, 46-43.

Dawkins won the tourney at Whitehouse from 2003 utill 2008. None better than the later this past week.

After three quarters, of old-fashioned ‘Wally-ball,’ the Panthers rallied for 23 points in the final period to make the first-ever meeting a memorable one.

(Banner Staff Photos by Doc Smith) Brook Hill let a 11-point lead vanish before a Mason Spradlin 3-pointer from deep in the left corner with 14 seconds left sealed the win for the state-ranked, TAPPS power, Brook Hill.

With over 2,000 fans who packed into the Tyler Junior College arena, Spradlin’s clutch shot capped the Guard’s first appearance in the tournament.

Seniors, Spradlin and Jeremey Chappelle, and junior, Tyler Baker took over in the final moments leading to the first-place finish.

In addition to the game-winner, Spradlin drew a charge earlier that turned back a Bullard push.to take the lead.

Chappelle finished with another gamehigh 20 points, and added seven rebounds and five assist. None more important than his final pass to Spradlin for the game-winner.

Brook Hill, which led 31-20 early in the fourth quarter, but the panthers full-court press chipped in to the Guard lead as the Panthers shot 14 freethrows in the final period alone.T

he Panthers made nine and closed the gap. Lance ‘Money’ Anding completed the surge to tie the game, 38-38, with 2:26 remaining.

Spradlin and Panther, Josiah Rosebury swapped out freethrows to make it a 39-39 tie.

A Chappelle bucket for The Guard regained the lead but Daniel Howad made twfreethrows for another tie at 41-41.

Baker then stepped to the charity stripe for Brook Hill and calmly sank both ends, for a 43-41 count.

Anding made Bullard’s final shot to tie the score, 43-43, with 43 seconds left to play.

Chappelle ran the point guard spot and chizzeled the time to 14-seconds before he found Spradlin wide-open for the game-winner.

Following Spradlin’s score from beyond the arc, the Panthers had their chances but the ball just would not fall on two attempts from 3-point land for the tie.

Brook Hill senior Luke Clardy, a 6-7 post, finished with a game-high nine rebounds. Bullard was led by senior guard Daniel Howard, who finished with 16 points.

“It was great to be back in the tournament and it’s a great win for Brook Hill’s program,” said Guard head coach, Dawkins. “This tournament is always one of the best in the state, and to have been fortunate to win a few times here while I was at Whitehouse, this win tonight is just really hard to find the words for.”

It was the first time the teams had ever competed head-to-head. The track teams have been at the same track events before but competed in a different division.

BHS head coach, Robert Sampson said, “We just came out slow and let them get us into a matchup zone that slows you down to be more patient, and we like the uptempo games, and we just got frustrated but I was proud of the kids for not giving in when we were down by 11-points and coming back fighting like they did.”

Bullard travel to play Brownsboro on Tuesday, Jan. 5 with the varsity set for a 7 p.m. tip off..

No all-tournament team was named.