Armorel loses district tournament opener

Armorel (8-26) fell behind early and couldn’t recover as the Tigers lost to Maynard 59-50 in the 1A-3 district tournament at Ridgefield Christian School.

Maynard jumped out an early 4-0 lead before Armorel got on the board with a three-pointer from Jackson Welch to make it 4-3. Maynard pushed the lead to 10-3 before Armorel got a jumper in the lane from Jackson Welch and one of two free throws from Ben Braswell to make it 10-6 Maynard with 3:47 left. Maynard drilled a three-ball, Braylen Williams hit two free throws for Armorel only to see Maynard get a three-pointer and a basket inside to make it 18-8 after the first quarter.

Maynard pushed the lead to 23-8 early in the second quarter before Armorel got a jumper in the lane from Braswell, triple twine from Zach Moody and a three-ball from Braswell to cut the lead to 23-18 with 3:39 left in the half Maynard canned a three-pointer as Armorel answered with a three-ball from Williams to make it 26-21 Maynard. A basket down low from Maynard, a score inside from Braden Burnham and two free throws and a basket down low from Maynard make the score 32-23 Maynard at the break.

Williams hit two free throws during a Maynard 8-2 run to open the third quarter making it 40-25. Williams scored in the paint, Maynard canned a three-ball and Braswell hit a jumper in the lane making it 43-29. Maynard hit one of two free throws and scored in the paint before Williams scored back to back baskets for Armorel to make the score 46-33 with 2:03 left. Maynard got a stick back and a basket inside, Armorel’s Kelan Woolsey scored down low, Braswell hit two free throws and Maynard hit one of two free throws to push their lead to 51-37 after three quarters.

Woolsey scored inside early in the fourth quarter for Armorel but Maynard answered with a jumper in the lane to make the score 53-39. Armorel reeled off the next seven points as Braswell hit one of two free throws, Jackson Welch hit a jumper, Braswell hit two free throws and scored down low making it 53-46 Maynard with 3:43 left. Maynard converted an old-fashioned three-point play before Williams hit a jumper in the lane and Moody scored down low to cut the lead to 56-50 with 1:32 left. Maynard scored down low and hit one of two free throws to set the final score at 59-50 Maynard.

“I appreciate the fight in our kids as they fought all the way to the end. Maynard got up double digits on us and we found ourselves in a hole,” Armorel head coach Shannon Miller said after the game. “We cut it to six points with just over a minute left and gave ourselves a chance but Maynard was just a little better tonight,” Miller added.

Williams scored 15 points to lead Armorel while Braswell added 10 points. Crocker netted eight points, Jackson Welch tossed in seven points, Moody and Woolsey scored four points each and Burnham chipped in two points.