The Bandera Bulldogs had a rough week losing to a close one to a new District 26-3A foe San Antonio Hawkins Wolf pack 54-50 last Friday and losing to an always-tough Ingram Warriors 75-67 earlier in the week.

            The Hawkins game proved that defense was going to be key as both team scored in single digits during one period or another. The Dogs shot out of the gate with 23 points in the first, holding the Wolf pack offense to a dismal 8 points. “We came out strong in the first,” junior Julian Garcia said after the game; Garcia finished the game with 3 points.

            After the explosive first period, the offense t went down hill for the Dogs who got beat in every other period. In the second, the Dogs took the brunt of it as the Wolf pack came out and scored 14 while holding the Dogs to a season low 3 points during the period.

“We have just got to be more aware of the situation on the court,” senior Jeff Jensen said in explaining the period. Still, the halftime score was still favorable for the Dogs, putting them on top 26-23.

            Still, the Wolf pack came out of the locker room hungry and wasted no time taking the lead as they went up on the Dogs 38-36, making the fourth period crucial. In the third, the Dogs’ leading scorer was junior Kyle Monroe who scored 4 and finished the game with 10.

            In the final period, the Dogs struggled to regain the lead, but scored only 14, which was not enough as the Wolf pack scored 14 as well, making the final score 54-50 Hawkins. Leading scorers for the game were Jensen with 14 and Monroe.

            In the Ingram game, the Dogs failed to get things going quickly as they gave the Warriors a 21-12 lead during the first ticker of play.  Junior Ryan Walker got out to a strong start, with five of nine points on the night coming in the first.

“We spotted them a 13 point start and had to play catch up all night,” head coach Brett Morris said.

            The second quarter was a little closer for the Dogs, but still wasn’t enough to pull ahead as once again Ingram outscored the Dogs 20-17 and the Dogs went into the locker room trailing 41-29.  Ingram’s Cody Asbury proved to be Kryptonite for the Warriors as he scored ten during the period.  For the Dogs, Garcia had 5 in the quarter and his nightly total was 8.

            Coming out in the third with a purpose, the Dogs scored 21 to the Warriors’ 17 narrowing the Warriors margin and letting the Dogs go into the final period trailing only 58-50. Sharing the scoring, the Dog’s leading scorer for the period was senior Gabe O’Dell with 8; his game total was 10.

            Unfortunately for the Dogs, they dug themselves into a hole that they couldn’t get out of as both teams scored 17 in the fourth, making the final score 75-67 Warriors. On the night, the team’s leading scorers with Monroe with 13, and Jensen with 11.

            "In the end, we scored well, but turnovers and on-the-ball defense hurt us,” Morris said.

             This week, the Dogs faced Wimberley Tuesday night at home (see coverage next week) and will face the Battling’ Fredericksburg Billies away on Friday night.  Game time Friday will be 7:30 at Fredericksburg HS.