Corsicana — Tobyus Thomas had his 3-point shot going Thursday night and it made a huge difference against a feisty and confident Blooming Grove squad.

Thomas made five 3-pointers and finished with 26 points as Kerens stopped Blooming Grove 63-48 in an opening round game in the Kiwanis Classic at the K. and Ida Wolens Special Events Center.

Thomas made two of his 3-pointers in the second quarter as Kerens built a 34-25 halftime lead. Thomas made two more in the third quarter as the Bobcats were able to stave off a solid effort from the Lions, who were in position to keep the game in single digits in the second half.

"I just felt comfortable and good before the game," Thomas said. "I felt like I was going to have a good game."

Nate Betts added 13 points for Kerens (7-5). Blooming Grove (10-5) was led by Jacob Conger with 13 points and Daniel Pelzel added 10.

Mildred 69, Dawson 36: Mildred, which just finished off a state finalist run in football, opened up its basketball season at the Kiwanis Classic with a 69-36 victory over Dawson.

Nic Shimonek led the Eagles with 18 points. That included a 3-pointer in the first quarter that got a winded Mildred going as it built a 29-19 halftime lead.

Mikey Muncy added 14 points for the Eagles. Marvin Manning had eight points and Louis Lachney, Lane Dotson and Mark Martinez all had six points for the Bulldogs.

Frost 60, Rice 39: Danial Steels scored 21 points as Frost, playing in only its third game after reaching the state quarterfinals in football, dominated Rice 60-39 on Thursday.

The story of the game was Steels' defense on Rice's leading scorer Dalton Pike, who has a 38-point game this season against Bynum and who scored 34 points against Blooming Grove last year in the Kiwanis Classic. Pike managed only nine points in three 3-pointers as Steels' shadowed him most of the game.

Frost point guard Jacob Stroder had a solid game with 15 points. Andrew Jackson had seven points and Colton Clayton added six.



GIRLS

Kerens 58, Blooming Grove 19: Kerens opened up defense of its Kiwanis Classic title with a 58-18 victory over Blooming Grove on Thursday night.

Taylor Ames had the hot hand for the No. 2-ranked LadyCats (13-3), scoring 20 points. Breanna Wells added 16 points and Marqueshia Kelly had eight points.

Lauren Miller led Blooming Grove (8-10) with seven points. Kerens led 18-4 after the first quarter and never looked back.

Mildred 66, Dawson 15: Raleigh Bottoms scored 15 points to lead a balanced Mildred scoring attack as the Lady Eagles opened the Kiwinas Classic with a 66-15 victory over Dawson on Saturday morning.

The Lady Eagles (12-4) had two other players score in double figures -- Savannah Pritchett with 14 points and Shelby Adamson with 13 points. Maddie Moore had nine points and Olivia Farmer added seven.

Freshman Stephanie Lindsey paced Dawson with seven points while another freshman, Michaela Greer, had five.

Mildred outscored Dawson 15-1 in the second quarter to take a 25-6 halftime lead. The Lady Eagles didn't make any 3-pointers until Moore made two and Bottoms another in the fourth quarter.

Teague 62, Hubbard 46: Haley Guerrero and NiCosha Nelms each scored 17 points as Class 2A No. 16-ranked Teague pulled away from Hubbard 62-46 on Thursday.

Nakaila Banks made four 3-pointers and scored 23 points to lead all scorers as Hubbard fell to 13-4 on the season.

Teague built a 43-23 lead, but Banks scored eight points in the third quarter as the Lady Jaguars closed to within 45-34 entering the fourth. Hubbard crept within nine points on two different occasions in the fourth quarter, but couldn't overcome 3-pointers by Guerrero and Nelms.

Frost 63, Rice 24: Five Frost Lady Polar Bears scored in double figures in a 63-24 victory ove Rice on Thursday morning.

The Lady Polar Bears (16-1) had about as much balance as possible. Kadee and Kaycee Bowling each scored 12 points. Diana Rios, Jasmyn Steels and Jae Moore all scored 11 points for the No. 10 Lady Polar Bears.

Celina Smithers had eight points and Ruby Ramirez added seven points for Rice.

Kiwanis Classic: Day 1

Thursday's Summaries



Girls First Round



Mildred 66, Dawson 15

Dawson   5   1   7   2 -- 15

Mildred  10  15  20  21 -- 66

Dawson -- Stephanie Lindsey 7, Michaela Greer 5, Kayle Martinez 2, Lizzy Siddons 1.

Mildred -- Raleigh Bottoms 15, Savannah Pritchett 14, Shelby Adamson 13, Maddie Moore 9, Olivia Farmer 7, Lauren Glidewell 4, Abbie Burnham 4.

Records -- Dawson 4-10, Mildred 12-4.



Frost 63, Rice 24

Frost   7  23  18  15 -- 63

Rice     5   8    6    5 -- 24

Frost -- Kadee Bowling 12, Kaycee Bowling 12, Diana Rios 11, Jasmyn Steels 11, Jae Moore 11, Heather Montgomery 2, Layce Giabbi 2, Madison Revill 2.

Rice -- Celina Smithers 8, Ruby Ramirez 7, Lauren Mays 3, Camey Metcalfe 2, Hanna Owens 2, Holly Beldin 1, Samantha Harris 1.

Records -- Frost 16-1, Rice 2-11.



Teague 62, Hubbard 46

Hubbard    11   7   16   12 -- 46

Teague    20   7   18    17 -- 62

Hubbard -- Jasmine Parks 10, Pepci Jones 2, Dallas Fletcher 4, Nakaila Banks 23, Tia Parks 7.

Teague -- Haley Guerrero 17, NiCosha Nelms 17, Alexandra Watson 6, Abbey Hurst 2, Kenya Busby 2, Kyera Abram 10, Collins 9.

Records -- Hubbard 13-4, Teague 15-3.



Kerens 58, Blooming Grove 19

Blooming Grove   4   4   5   6 -- 19

Kerens    18   15   10   15 -- 58

Blooming Grove -- Lauren Miller 8, Brittany Miller 2, Treounah Wiggins 2, Haven Cofer 7.

Kerens -- Aayliah Bivins 2, Cambree Betts 2, Shalina Haynes 3, Marqueshia Kelly 8, Kiara Lindsey 2, Emmanuella Armant 2, Taylor Ames 20, Breanna Wells 16, Tinesha Tolliver 6.

Records -- Blooming Grove 8-10, Kerens 13-3.



Boys First Round



Mildred 69, Dawson 36

Dawson   9  10  9  8 --  37

Mildred  15  14 24  16 -- 69

Dawson -- Marvin Manning 8, Louis Lachney 8, Lane Dotson 6, Mark Martinez 6, Caleb Grant 5, Robert Davis 2, Brandon Cehand 1.

Mildred -- Nic Shimonek 18, Mikey Muncy 14, Jonathan Harrison 8, Connor Hill 7, Draylon Sterling 7, Colby Pair 6, Hagen Williams 5, Rusty Knight 4.

Records -- Dawson 4-11, Mildred 1-0.



Frost 60, Rice 39

Frost    15   9   15   21 -- 60

Rice     6   14   11   18 -- 39

Frost -- Edgar Anaya 5, Julius Gray 2, Andrew Jackson 7, Jacob Stroder 15, Danial Steels 21, Colton Clayton 6, Colton McGill 4.

Rice -- Collin Haston 3, Daniel Arteaga 10, Austin Peppers 9, Dalton Pike 9, Raven Huffman 1, Ragan Henderson 7.

Records -- Frost 3-0, Rice 8-8.



Hubbard 55, Milford 42

Milford   10   10   7   15 -- 42

Hubbard   20   7   9    19 -- 55

Milford -- Eric Evans 17, Travion Jones 2, Jacobe Essary 5, Jarius Russell 16, Russell Clingenpeel 2.

Hubbard -- D'Warren Simmons 13, Casen Martin 10, Ashton Hawthorne 2, Kez Williams 5, Trey Henderson 8, Dylan Harris 17.

Records -- Milford 2-5, Hubbard 8-4.



Kerens 63, Blooming Grove 48

Blooming Grove   8   17   10   13 -- 48

Kerens    15   19   15   14 -- 63

Blooming Grove -- Daniel Pelzel 10, Tyler Ellis 5, Tyler Lewis 2, Rowdy Barlow 6, Juanya Pyburn 8, Tyler Morris 2, Jacob Conger 13, Richard Conger 2.

Kerens -- Tobyus Thomas 26, Kevin Townsel 6, Shelton Sayles 5, Brandon Ward 3, Rayvon Faulk 2, Nate Betts 13, Deadrion Tolliver 2, Taylor Modester 6.

Records -- Blooming Grove 10-5, Kerens 7-5.