Whitehouse boys ready for tourney

Photo/Jim Jackson Junior Blake Anglin blocks a shot in the Wildcats' big win over Longview, 84-24. Whitehouse is 3-0 on the season -- against all 5A teams -- and will be participating in the Hoop Heaven tournament this week, playing the winner of the Texas High-Bossier, La., matchup at 5:30 p.m. Friday in the Lindale High School Gymnasium.

Receiving a bye in the first round, the Whitehouse Wildcats boys basketball team will face the winner of the Texas High-Bossier, La. game at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Lindale High School Gymnasium in the Tyler Ford "Hoop Heaven" Tournament. If the Cats were to win that contest, they would meet Louisiana high school powerhouse Zwolle at 10 a.m. on Saturday.

Whitehouse, currently 3-0 on the season after defeating class 5A foes Irving MacArthur 79-50, Longview 84-24, and state-ranked Dallas Skyline 62-55, returns to action as defending champions of the Lindale Tourney, where they beat Lufkin, 79-61, in the finals last year.

The Wildcats have been led in scoring by 6'8 junior post Jacob Holmen (19.0 ppg) and 6'5 senior guard Kyle Ford (11.3 ppg).

Junior point guard Mitch Marquis is scoring at a clip of 13 points per game while averaging over 9 assists.

Whitehouse will host John Tyler on Dec. 4 before making the annual trip to the Abilene Lions Club Tourney on Dec. 6-8.

"We are playing pretty well for it to be so early in the year," WHS head coach Wally Dawkins notes. "The key is to continue to improve and then to peak in February. If this group can do that ... look out.

"Right now we are getting such balanced scoring, and the way Jacob (Holmen) is dominating inside, the way Mitch (Marquis) is penetrating, dishing off, and hitting his shots, along with Kyle (Ford), then you add how improved and what a factor Kody Molloy has become, with our size it makes for a good mix.

"When Cade Clark (6'6 senior wing) finally gets healthy, and the strong play we are getting off the bench from Tanner Fedell and Blake Anglin, we could have a great year," said Dawkins.

The Cats most recent win was in the headliner game of the Burger King Classic over Dallas Skyline.

Holmen and Marquis combined for 32 points to lead the team to the 62-55 win.

Whitehouse controlled much of the game and led 42-34 heading into the fourth. Dallas Skyline came within two, 51-49, with just under three mintues remaining, but Whitehouse held strong and went on an 11-4 run to clinch the victory.

Whitehouse finished 31-3 last season.