FLOWER MOUND — Lewisville controlled the boards and mentally rebounded from a disappointing loss earlier this week to defeat Flower Mound Marcus, 51-44, at Flower Mound to claim the fourth and final seed in District 5-5A.
Lewisville (18-13) will play Colleyville Heritage (22-9) in the Class 5A bi-district playoffs at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Keller. Lewisville could have clinched a playoff spot with a victory on Tuesday, but Marcus forced a tiebreaker with a 47-45 victory.
“We came out with a much better focus,” Lewisville sophomore Anthony Davis said. “We had a much better practice before this game than we did the other one. We knew we had to be tougher or we wouldn’t make the playoffs.”
Lewisville missed the playoffs last season but is well aware of the dominance of two-time defending 5A state champ Marcus, which lost its entire starting lineup after reaching three consecutive state tournaments. Former Marcus stars Marcus Smart and Phil Forte are leading Oklahoma State to a strong year as freshmen. Coach Danny Henderson left for Duncanville.
“I told the players you’d have to say we overachieved from what people expected of us,” first-year coach Clay Cody said. “To not have a player with experience come back in 5A and get to this point is a credit to the seniors who did a great job accepting their roles and the young players getting experience. We’ve got a good chance to be pretty good.”
Lewisville relied on the 6-7 Davis to help control a 37-31 edge in rebounding. Lewisville got 16 points on put-backs from 13 offensive rebounds. Davis ended with 10 points along with 15 from 6-4 sophomore Caleb Loggins.
Senior guard Jaden Wright, an athletic football signee with New Mexico State, provided a defensive spark with a pair of third-quarter blocked shots. With a 29-25 lead, the 6-1 Wright timed an elbow-above-rim block off a layup, which led to an 8-3 run and a 37-28 lead into the fourth quarter.
“We’re a young team, and so we’re an emotional team,” Lewisville coach Gary Collier said. “Jaden can make the kinds of plays which raises up everyone.”
Lewisville held a 27-23 halftime lead, but Marcus wouldn’t let the margin get out of range.
Lewisville jumped to quick 9-2 lead behind two put-backs and a 3-pointer from Davis. But Marcus (18-22) junior Jack Holden led a couple of rallies. He had a 4-point play in the first quarter by hitting a free throw after a 3-pointer. Holden ended with 16 points including three 3-pointers.
Marcus trailed 15-12 after the first eight minutes. Lewisville junior Kaelin Love led the way to a 27-23 halftime lead with a pair of second-quarter 3-pointers.
Lewisville built its biggest lead 47-35 as Davis hit a 3-pointer with 5:21 remaining.