Cats smash Jacksonville

The much hyped match-up between two of District 12-AAAA's top teams never materialized.

Scoring the game's first 8 points, and pushing their lead to 25 by half time (42-17), the Whitehouse Wildcats demolished the visiting Indians 70-47 in front of a large crowd in Wildcat Arena Friday night.

The much celebrated and anticipated "game three" between the two arch rivals was never in doubt, largely due to WHS point guard Mitch Marquis, whose 18 points and 9 assists triggered a barrage of open looks for 6'8 postman Jacob Holmen (20 pts, 6 blocks, 8 rebounds) and Kyle Ford, who dazzled the crowd from behind the arc and with impressive drives to the basket to score 14 points.

Holmen converted numerous in-close shots and put backs, while wreaking havoc on the defensive end with his intimidating shot-blocking abilities. Ford not only forced numerouse J'ville miscues with his defensive presence out front, his three trifectas stretched the Indians defense opening up Holmen inside.

Whitehouse also got balanced scoring again as 6'7 Kody Molloy tossed in 9 while 6'6 Cade Clark added 8. "I thought we played as well as we have in some time during the first half," WHS head coach Wally Dawkins stated.

"We shot well, ran the floor well, and rebounded the ball with intensity."

The Wildcats -- now 22-1 on the season, 9-0 in District 12- AAAA -- are ranked as the #3 class 4A team in the state and cruised past the Indians who were without star player Jeremy Chapell.

"It was unfortunate that Jeremy was not at the game," Dawkins adds. "He is truly an outstanding player. But we didn't have a couple of our players off the bench as well, who give us that much needed depth in an up-tempo style of play. If Jeremy had of played, he would have definitely been a factor, but so would our kids who weren't playing."

Dawkins praised his team's focus and poise after the win.

"After beating them twice, a letdown would have been natural, but not for these kids. They were ready at the start, and they kept their poise and composure in a rough physical contest."

So rough in fact that Marquis had to leave the game with fourand a-half minutes left after having his head slammed into the floor by a Jacksonville player in a chase for a loose ball.

"Mitch just gives it everything he has, and when he went out, Seth Cashion and Blake Anglin just stepped right in, took over the ballhandling chores, and finished the game strong."

The Wildcats sit alone atop District 12-AAA, while Jacksonville drops into a tie for third with Pine Tree at 6-3.

The Wildcats host Henderson Friday night in Wildcat Arena with ninth grade action at 5 p.m., JV at 6:15, and varsity at 7:30.