BULLARD – Newly signed Tyler Junior College football player, Marquez Franklin finished with a game-high 18 points and 13 rebounds, with three steals to spark Bullard to a 57-50 win over the Spring Hill Panthers. The Panthers once again had to stave off a late Spring Hill run to improve to 7-1, and tied with Tatum for first place

Bullard keeps a share of the lead in the District 17-3A race, with a season mark of 23-9 and 7-1 in league. Spring Hill jumped out to a 9-1 lead, but a three-pointer by Koby Greene sparked an 11-4 run for Bullard, to close out the first quarter and leave the home-standing Panthers trailing by just a bucket, 13-11, heading into the second stanza.

The second quarter featured three lead changes and deadlocks at 14, 15, 17, 20 and 23, but Bullard took a 25-23 lead in at intermission, following two free throws from Anding — his ninth and tenth points of the quarter.

Franklin took over, scoring eight straight points and then closing with back-to-back buckets, to push Bullard in front 37-27 with 4:45 to play in the third.

Spring Hill battled back, pulling to within 39-24 after three, and then using a barrage of three-pointers from Brandon Robbins, Cody Rittermeyer, Zach Zeilinger and Jacob Hays.

Spring Hill trailed by two, after a Voelzke tip-in with 2:22 remaining, but Franklin scored six of Bullard’s final seven points to put things away.

Spring Hill, which got a 12-point, 11 rebound doubledouble from Alex Voelzke, drops to 13-14 and 1-6 with the loss. Bullard improves to 23-9; 7-1.

Cale Pinion scored 20 points and Hayden Bryant added 15, in the junior varsity 49-47 win.

Bryant busted a jumper from the left elbow at the buzzer, to claim the game for the Panthers and remain undefeated in district JV play.

Spring Hill won the freshman game, with a 60-49 win over Bullard. Cody Goode led Bullard with 16 points in the setback.

The Tatum game could be for the district title, if both teams win on Friday night.

The season comes down to the last game of district as it did last year….this year, however, the Panthers are playing for the outright title, and not a co-championship.

District 17-3A Boys Basketball

Spring Hill 13 10 11 16 - 50
Bullard 11 14 14 18 - 57

SPRING HILL - Tyler Zapata, 2; Cody Rittermeyer, 7; Mitch Alm, 6; Scott Carter, 2; Zach Zeilinger, 6; Jacob Hays, 5; Brandon Robbins, 5; Alex Voelzke, 12; Caleb Jones, 5.

BULLARD - Daniel Howard, 10; Koby, Greene, 6: Josiah Rosebury, 2: Brandon Beavers, 8; Marquez Franklin, 18; Lance Anding, 13.

THREE PONT GOALS - SH: Rittermeyer (2), Zeigler, Hays, Robbins. B: Anding (3), Greene.. RECORDS - Spring Hill (13-14; 1-7); Bullard (23-9; 7-1)

NEXT UP - Final district game at Tatum will be for first place on Tuesday, Feb. 16, at Eagle gymnasium. See the next edition for the results and the playoffs pairings.

Junior Varsity Game
Bullard 49, Spring Hill 47
Spring Hill 13 6 13 15 - 47
Bullard 8 12 11 18 - 49

SPRING HILL – Ballard, 10; Nichols, 2; Lee, 8; Fleet, 14; Robertson, 10.

BULLARD – Kirk Bryant, 15; Jonathan bell, 2; Conner Gurley, 9; Taft Rose, 10; Josh Whatley, 3; Cale Pinion, 20.

THREE POINT GOALS – SH: Ballard, Lee, Fleet, Robertson. B: Bryant, Gurley, Rose, Whatley. RECORDS – Bullard 24-4; 8-0.

NEXT UP – Bullard at Tatum, Tues., 5 p.m. After press deadline.

Freshmen Game
Spring Hill 60, Bullard 49
Spring Hill 14 12 19 17 - 60
Bullard 18 12 11 8 - 49

SPRING HILL – Doyle, 22; Dent, 8; Jackson, 13; Chambless, 7; Pinella, 4; Rivers, 2; Cerone, 4.

BULLARD – Jesse Duplechin, 2; Chandler Clarke, 11; Colton Mebane, 2; Holden Bryant, 2; Cody Goode, 16; Jess Wod, 3; Devin Alvey, 2; Corbin Howard, 11. THREE POINT GOALS – SH: Doyle (2). B: Goode.. RECORDS – 15-11; 4-4. NEXT UP – Bullard at Tatum, Tues., 4 p.m. After press deadline.