The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

The Christmas break has limited the games being played by the boys basketball teams in the eastern part of Orange County. All four teams will be participating in tournaments during the week leading up to the New Year.

The Bridge City Cardinals had a home game with Buna scheduled for Tuesday, December 19, cancelled because of a shortage of players for the Cougars. Three local Orange County teams took part in the Battle of the Border Tournament held in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

The Bridge City Cardinals won their game against St. Fredericks 65-54 on Wednesday, December 20. Aiden Gutierrez led four Cardinals registering in double figures with 20 points and 10 steals. Lincoln Breaux scored 14 points and had 7 rebounds. Aaden Bush also had 14 points with Jagger Carlin contributing 11 points.

The Little Cypress Mauriceville Bears were not as fortunate against Avoyelles Charter losing 53-45 in the same tournament on Thursday. Alantheon Winn scored 29 points for LCM.

The Orangefield Bobcats played Fairview out of Louisiana also on Thursday and won 71-35. The hottest shooter for the Bobcats was Jaden Scales who was 9 of 13 from the field scoring 21 points. Zane Wrinkle pulled off a double double with 11 points and 13 rebounds. Kane Smith came through with 12 points for Orangefield in the win.

Little Cypress Mauriceville will host the 4th Annual LCM/International Paper Classic basketball tournament on Thursday and Friday, December 28-29. A total of 32 games will be played over the two days at both the Dr. Pauline Colburn Hargrove Gymnasium and the Bear Cave Gym at Little Cypress Mauriceville High School.

The Bridge City Cardinals will join the Bears in the tournament as will the LCM Junior Varsity and Freshmen teams. A special attraction will be teams from Australia participating. Three teams with elite high school players from down under will be sure to draw a good crowd for their games.

The Little Cypress Mauriceville freshmen play at 9:00 AM in The Cave. The LCM varsity plays its first game in The Grove at 10:30 on Thursday morning and has a second game at 4:30 that afternoon. Bridge City has two games on Thursday in The Cave at 1:30 against the top Australian team and again at 6:00 PM against Center.

On Friday morning the LCM JV faces the Australian JV in The Grove at 9:00 while the LCM Freshmen play at the same time in The Cave. That afternoon the Bears' varsity goes against Australia 1 in The Grove at 1:30 while at the same time Bridge City takes on Cleveland in The Cave.

The Cardinals wrap up their tournament action against Hardin-Jefferson at 6:00 PM in The Grove. Little Cypress Mauriceville plays the final game of the tournament in The Grove at 7:30 PM against Woodville.

Andrew Cooper was the leading scorer for the Mustangs in their district opening win over Vidor and they will need more of the same from him when the district schedule resumes on January 2

The West Orange-Stark Mustangs will spend the middle of the week in the Lee Tournament which will be held Wednesday and Thursday. The Orangefield Bobcats will participate in the Houston County Tournament held in Crockett and Grapeland, Texas.

District action resumes on Tuesday, January 2. Little Cypress Mauriceville had a bye back on December 15 so will be playing its first game of district at home against the 0-1 Bridge City Cardinals who lost their district opener to the Silsbee Tigers on December 15.

West Orange Stark will be looking for its second district win when the Mustangs play at Lumberton. WOS and the Raiders are 1-0 entering their game on Tuesday, January 2.

The Orangefield Bobcats at 1-0 in district are at home on Tuesday, January 2, against the Hardin Hornets. The contest will be the first of three straight district home games for the Bobcats.