Cats bounce back for win at Borger

BORGER, Texas — Clovis High’s boys quickly got back on the winning track Tuesday night.

Four Wildcats scored in double figures and combined for 10 3-pointers as the Wildcats pulled away in the second half for a 72-57 victory over host Borger.

Clovis (16-2) bounced back from a loss on Friday night at Rio Rancho, breaking this one open with a 10-0 run to start the third quarter for a 14-point lead.

Borger (16-7), ranked 12th in Texas Class 3A, rallied from a 21-8 deficit after the opening stanza to take the lead before halftime.

“They had a real good second quarter,” CHS coach J.D. Isler said. “The third quarter we came out and changed our defense.”

Isler said the Cats applied fullcourt pressure and forced the Bulldogs into numerous turnovers which were turned into points at the other end.

“They’re an outstanding team,” he said of Borger. “As big as Texas is, you’re not ranked 12th if you haven’t got a good squad. And they’ve been ranked as high as third.”

Junior guard Bryce Hill led the Cats with 22 points, while junior guard Jaden Isler added 16, junior post Layne Strebeck 14 and senior guard Cody Thornsbury 10. Thornsbury and Strebeck had three 3-pointers each, while Jaden Isler and Hill added two apiece.

Strebeck’s total was a career high.

“Layne Strebeck had an outstanding game,” coach Isler said. “He really had an outstanding rebounding game for us.

“We spread it out (in the fourth quarter) and kind of controlled the ballgame. And we hit our free throws down the stretch.”

The Cats went 9-of-10 from the foul line in the final stanza, with Jaden Isler hitting 5-of-6 and Strebeck and Hill both going 2-for-2.

Andrew Horton and Shade Haddox scored 13 points apiece for the Bulldogs, while Nathan Purswell had 12 and D.J. Dickson 10.