Getting started on the right foot can help make a lay-up and cannot hurt a basketball season. The Mineola Yellowjackets began their hardcourt campaign at home last Tuesday, leaping past the visiting Lone Oak Buffaloes and landing a 66-50 victory with both feet.

Any team can benefit from focusing on fundamentals like defending energetically and rebounding relentlessly, and the ‘Jackets displayed how they can be particularly useful early in the process of gelling as a team by dominating the glass and bringing intensity to guarding Buffalo ball-handlers.

Proving the point, Braydon Alley, Isaiah Gardner and Dawson Pendergrass combined for 34 points and 25 rebounds.

When inbounding, Lone Oak was often met by junior guard Keke Martin, who gave Mineola a spark near the end of last season. His immediately aggressive, agile ball-pressure sets the tone for the ‘Jacket defense.

Martin is flanked by guards Xzavien Libscomb and Ainsley Steward, who combine to apply the front-court clamps, currently backed-up by Jace Tyndell and Max Stinchfield.

If they are joined later in the season by recuperating senior T.J. Moreland, watch out. The basketball IQ demonstrated by Libscomb as a freshman point-guard combined with a healthy sharp-shooting Moreland might make for an interesting mid-season shake-up.

Junior forward Alley led Mineola with 10 rebounds on the night. If the added mass and strength he has acquired is applied appropriately near the net, Alley looks to have a breakout year in the gym after doing so on the gridiron.

If the Buffaloes managed to navigate past all that, they were met by an intimidating last line of defense, a combination of seniors D.J. Newsome, Pendergrass and Gardner.

A tie at 13 was the last look at the lead Lone Oak saw. The Yellowjackets went up 19-13 after eight minutes.

In the first half, Pendergrass’ nine points, Gardner’s six rebounds, along with two steals by Steward helped Mineola take a 37-22 advantage into the locker room.

After a play where Pendergrass secured multiple rebounds and was finally fouled shooting a put-back, Lone Oak’s coach informed the Buffaloes, “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but no one’s winning a jumping contest with Pendergrass, you’re going to have to block out.”

The Buffaloes had no answer to Pendergrass, who finished with 18 points, eight rebounds, two steals and one block. Martin and Gardner scored 11 each.