Thu, 07 Jan 2010 07:51:00

Vandals Face Tough Tournament Competition, District Begins Friday

Randal Brewer, Sports Editor

The Van Vandals boys’ varsity basketball team has lost three of their last four games, albeit against some pretty stiff competition.

The Vandals traveled to Ft. Worth during the holidays to compete at the Whataburger Classic Tournament. Van fell in the opening round to Liberty Christian, and rebounded to beat Fairfield before falling to Wylie. On Saturday, January 2, the Vandals traveled to Athens and fell to a very athletic Hornets’ team.

Against Liberty Christian, Van was within five at the half (26-21), but Liberty scored a 19-11 advantage in the third to hold 45-32 lead going into the fourth. Van lost by a 59-44 margin.

Forrest McFarlin led the scoring with 13 points, followed by Zach Ghormely with 11, and Travis Hand with 10. Jordan Schmid added six, while Shane Hilton and Colby Rucker each scored two.

Schmid went off for 25 points in the Vandals’ 71-54 win over Fairfield in round two. Ghormley scored 16, including 12 on 3-point shots. McFarlin scored 12, and the scoring was rounded out by Rucker with seven, Hilton six and Travis Hand five.

In the final tournament game the Vandals fell to Wylie, 62-56. The Vandals raced out to a 23-12 first quarter lead, but Wylie answered with a 17-10 edge in the second for a 33-29 Van lead at the half.

Van outscored the Pirates 15-9 in the third, and led 48-39 going into the fourth, but Wylie won the game with a 24-8 advantage in the fourth.

Ghormely led the scoring for Van with 22, followed by Schmid with 13. Hilton scored nine, McFarlin seven and Hand five.

Following the tournament, Van fell in Athens, 60-50. The Hornets led 22-15 after the first quarter, and never trailed.

Schmid led Van with 20 points, and McFarlin scored 10. The rest of the Van points came from Rucker with six, Michael Roberts and Ghormley five and Hilton four.

The Vandals hosted Lindale on Tuesday, and will host Cayuga on Friday. Van will be in Brownsboro on January 12, with the district-opener in Wills Point to follow on Friday, January 15.