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The Drew Central Pirates returned to 8-3A Conference play this past Friday, traveling to Dumas to face the Bobcats.
After defeating the Monticello Billies in the Showdown in M-Town, the Pirates would continue their non-conference portion of their schedule over the holiday break, competing in the annual Commercial Bank Holiday Tournament.
The Pirates would participate in a single game format instead of the conventional tournament format with their first game coming against the Warren Lumberjacks on Saturday, December 27.
The Lumberjacks would take the first quarter by three points, 15-12 and would double up the Pirate scoring in the second quarter, 16-8, to hold a 31-20 lead heading into the locker room at the halftime break.
The Pirates would get their best scoring quarter of the contest coming out of the half, outscoring the Lumberjacks 26-16 in the third quarter to trail the Lumberjacks by one-point, 47-46, heading into the fourth quarter.
In the fourth quarter, the Lumberjacks would edge out the Pirates 17-15, to hold onto a three-point, 64-61, victory for their first win of the season, handing the Pirates their second loss of the year.
Blake Chandler would lead the Pirates with 18 points, Tra’Bennett Fuller with 14, Jeremiah Bodiford with 13, and Jaden Turnage with 10.
Spencer Lowery and Benjamin Fulmar would score three each.
The Pirates would return on Monday, December 29, facing the Hamburg Lions.
After a slow first half that saw the Pirates leading Hamburg 11-6 at the half, the teams would finally get going in the third quarter with Drew Central taking the quarter 15-13 to hold a 26-19 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
The teams would play even in the fourth quarter with both teams scoring 20 points in the final quarter with the Pirates taking the 46-39 win.
Tra’Bennett Fuller led the way with 16 points followed by Blake Chandler with nine.
Alex Pitts had eight, Benjamin Fulmer with five, Jaden Turnage with four, and Jeremiah Bodiford and Zae Bullard with two each.
In their final game of the tournament, the Pirates would avenge an earlier season loss to the Star City Bulldogs.
The Pirates would trail the Bulldogs heading into the fourth quarter, but would outscore Star City 19-9 in the quarter to comeback to defeat the Bulldogs by two points, 58-56,
Chandler would lead the way with 22 points, Fuller with 19, Bullard with 11, Bodiford scored four, and Pitts with two.
The Pirates would have one final non conference contest against Fountain Lake, who handed the Pirates their third loss of the season, 59-39.
The Pirates would return to conference play on Friday, travelling to Dumas to face the 7-8 Bobcats.
The Pirates would get out to a 10-4 lead in the first quarter and led 21-18 at the half.
Drew Central outscored the Bobcats 18-4 in the third and 15-13 in the fourth to move to 3-0 in conference play with the 19-point, 54-35, win.
Chandler led the way with 21 points with Fuller adding 11.
Jeremiah Bodiford and Zae Bullard scored nine each with Pitts rounding out the scoring with four.
The Pirates continue conference play at Lakeside on Friday January 16 with the games scheduled to begin at 4:30 pm.
