WEST FORK -- The Bulldogs lost their second game of the season to the Tigers, 42 to 39, when the Decatur boys traveled south to take on West Fork in the Tiger Dome Nov. 24. It was a hard-fought game for both teams but, in the end, the Tigers emerged victorious.
Decatur took the court determined to play hard and win the game, and they quickly gained a nine-point lead against the struggling Tigers. The first period ended with Decatur leading West Fork, 10 to 1.
The Bulldogs continued to keep the pressure on the Tigers in the second period, holding West Fork to a single point during the first five and a half minutes and extending their lead to 15 points. The Tigers began a small rally, putting eight points on the board by the end of the half. But it wasn't enough to stop the Bulldogs, who commanded a 12-point lead at the half, 21 to 9.
In the third period, the Tigers roared onto the court to begin a dog and cat fight that would last the entire second half. The Tigers battled back and, by the end of the third, they trailed Decatur by only three points, 31 to 28.
The Bulldogs struggled to maintain the lead in the fourth period, but a the 7:05 mark the Tigers tied the game. Decatur regained the lead, but that only lasted a few seconds until things were tied up again at 33 each. With a little over three minutes in the game, a three-point shot gave the Tigers the lead for the first time.
The Bulldogs were down by five in the last 15 seconds of the game when Victor Urquidi went in for a lay up that pulled Decatur within three. In the last five seconds Mario Urquidi got the ball and was set to shoot a three-pointer when time ran out.
"We started the game really hot and were executing really well," said John Unger, Decatur's head basketball coach. "West Fork did a great job on maintaining their composure and changing their defenses on us and we didn't execute down the stretch. If we can maintain what we did the first half for all four quarters, we will be a great team."
Leading scorer for the Bulldogs was Mario Urquidi with 16 points and 11 rebounds, his first double-double of the season.
Others who scored included Victor Urquidi with 6 points and 3 rebounds, Pheng Lee with 6 points and 4 rebounds, Brody Funk with 5 points and 1 rebound, Jay Porter with 2 points and 4 rebounds and Terry Kell with 2 points and 2 rebounds.
In other games, the junior high boys lost to West Fork 27 to 15. Alex Haisman was leading scorer for the Bulldogs with 7; Alex Lee was next with 3.
The Lady Bulldogs lost to the Lady Tigers, 48 to 9.
Sports on 12/03/2014