Going into Friday’s area round playoff game against Alba-Golden, the Honey Grove Warrior team was 27-3 and ranked seventh in Class 2A in Texas. The Panthers of Alba-Golden were ranked 87th in class 2A. Those rankings appeared to be accurate as Honey Grove ended Alba-Golden’s season with a 68-29 defeat in Caddo Mills.

The game was largely decided in the first three minutes. After two empty trips down the floor by each team, Honey Grove ignited their offense. They scored 16 unanswered points and in the process dispelled any thought that there might be an ‘off night’ for the Warriors.

Honey Grove bracketed that run with 3-pointers. In between, they scored in the paint, twice on a fast breaks, off a turnover and off the press.    

Payton Dickinson got the Panthers on the scoreboard at the 4:02 mark of the first quarter with a baseline jumper.

The Warrior onslaught continued; they put 25 points on the board in the opening quarter and held the Panthers to 6.

Alba-Golden competed hard – a Boogie Trimble steal and a blocked shot by Wyatt Sutton demonstrated that late in the opening quarter – but were facing a top-notch basketball team. Honey Grove had that sought-after combination of size, speed, quickness and skill.

There was a moment early in the second quarter when the Panthers seemed to derail the Warriors. It came after Cameron Lennon found Dickinson with a nice assist and Trimble hit a 3-pointer. Following that score, Honey Grove threw the ball away in the backcourt.

A quick time out by the Warriors refocused their efforts. They went on to win the quarter by 8 points.

The margin at the half was large and in such a case it is always illustrative to watch how a team plays out the game, and not the scoreboard. 

The Panthers did not  disappoint, they played the game – with energy and respect. 

Dickinson led Alba-Golden with 18 points. Blake Ridgley-Harris added a couple of scores, as did Sutton, who used a jump hook to elevate his shot above the defenders.