Laquey boys top Plato in Blanton's 1,000th career game

LAQUEY— The Laquey High School boys basketball team gave their head coach a gift for his 1,000th career game as a head coach. The Hornets defeated the Plato Eagles 55-48 in a Frisco League contest at Laquey Monday night. Laquey Head coach Blanton was honored with a plaque commemorating the event, which his team and school officials presented to him  at halftime of the junior varsity game.

The Hornets (now 15-4, 3-0 Frisco League) held off the pesky Eagles despite woeful free throw shooting that kept the game closer than they would have liked. Laquey was a mere 12 for 25 (48 percent) from the line.

The Eagles (now 13-7, 2-2) stayed in the game because of outstanding outside shooting. Plato drained eight total threes on the night. They led 12-11 at the end of the first quarter but Laquey outscored them 13-8 in the second quarter to take a 24-20 halftime lead.

Three unanswered threes from 6-0 sophomore Kasey Cobb gave Plato a lead halfway through the third and they took a one-point 33-32 lead at the end of three.

However, Laquey scored eight unanswered in the fourth to go up for good. Although Plato cut the lead to three points two different times late in the third, the Hornets were able to hold on despite their poor foul shooting.

The Eagles held 6-9 senior Andre Hilbert to under 10 points for only the second time this season; he finished with nine points. Senior Andrew Cook paced the Hornets with 12 while senior Karl Huber scored 11. Senior Riley Rollins also added nine.

Junior Brad Childress was the only Eagle to reach double figures, scoring 10 points. Logan Justice scored nine points, including two made three pointers while Cobb's three three pointers were his only points of the game and he finished with nine.

Plato won the junior varsity game 56-29. Aaron Hall led the Eagles with 14 points, while Cobb scored 12 and Caleb Cantrell 11. Brandon Bowling was the lone Hornet in double figures with 10 while Brandon Rivard added nine.