Tomball Concordia Lutheran defeats St. Pius X in district opener
9. St. Pius X Panthers (43) – 1. Tomball Concordia Lutheran Crusaders (73) TOMBALL, Texas — There was a great TAPPS 6A District 4 matchup last night between the Crusaders of Tomball Concordia Lutheran (17-2) and the Panthers of St. Pius X (16-6). Both private schools are top ten teams…
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Continue Reading9. St. Pius X Panthers (43) – 1. Tomball Concordia Lutheran Crusaders (73)
TOMBALL, Texas — There was a great TAPPS 6A District 4 matchup last night between the Crusaders of Tomball Concordia Lutheran (17-2) and the Panthers of St. Pius X (16-6). Both private schools are top ten teams in the state for their classification.
1st Q | 2nd Q | 3rd Q | 4th Q | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Concordia Lutheran |
18 |
23 |
15 |
17 |
73 |
St. Pius X |
19 |
10 |
11 |
3 |
53 |
The Panthers played with something to prove in the first quarter as they ended the period with a one-point lead. However, the Crusaders snatched the lead back and went into the locker room up twelve points.
It was all about Concordia Lutheran in the second half. The Crusaders played together as a team on both ends and shut down the Panthers. They held them to three points in fourth quarter and closed out the game to earn themselves their first district victory of the season.
Here are the prospects that caught my eye in the matchup:
Player Breakdown
Pierce Hellums / 6’2″ / SG / Tomball Concordia Lutheran / 2019 PHTX 200-2019 (32)
Player of the Game
Hellums is the true leader of this Crusaders squad. He is a tough competitor who is nice with the ball in his hands, makes the right decisions, and can shoot the mess out of the basketball. He does not just make shots, but he swishes them effortlessly. The Sam Houston State signee plays within the offense and is looking to lead this team to another TAPPS State Title. Hellums scored 15 points, grabbed six boards, and dished out three assists in the win.
Montavious Murphy / 6’8″ / PF / Tomball Concordia Lutheran / 2019 PHTX 200-2019 (17)
Murphy is the highest rated player on this talented team. He is more than just a rebounding rim runner, but he displayed those abilities last night. The Kansas State signee caught and finished everything around the basket. He also got out on the break and ran to score in transition. Murphy performed well finishing with a game-high 16 points and six rebounds.
Evan Palmquist / 6’2″ / SG / Tomball Concordia Lutheran / 2019 PHTX 200-2019 (108)
The senior transfer had a solid all-around performance last night. He impressed with his ability to finish at the basket and see the floor with his passing. Palmquist has great size at his position and plays well within a system. The unsigned senior did not miss a shot from the field last night going six-for-six. He finished with 14 points, six rebounds, and four assists in the district win.
R.J. Keene / 6’6″ / SF / Tomball Concordia Lutheran / 2021 PHTX 50-2021 (23)
The sophomore forward seems to have bought into the system offensively for the betterment of the team. He moved well without the ball, displayed range from deep and scored the basketball in transition. He is the young pup on the senior-laden team. Keene scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds in his first district win as a Crusader.
Sydney Shipp / 5’11″ / PG / St. Pius X / 2019 PHTX 200-2019 (186)
Shipp was the lone bright spot for the Panthers last night. He hit three spot-up threes from deep and scored off of attacking the rack. The unsigned senior is a speedy ball handler who is hard to stay with in the open floor. Shipp scored a team-high 15 points in the blowout district loss.
Final Remarks
- Brandon Jenkins will cover Tomball Concordia Lutheran at the Christmas Crossover next weekend (December 21-22)