There was a basketball game at Alba-Golden last Tuesday, Feb. 17. The visiting LaPoynor Flyers won 53-37. 

The real story, however, unfolded just before tip-off.  

Thomas Harris was transported to town to see the game. He presently resides in a rehabilitation center in Richardson. He has been battling pancreatic cancer and associated complications. His significant other, Kenda Blount, cleared it through the medical team to have him brought to Panther Gymnasium to see his son, Blake, play basketball. 

Harris had not seen his son play football or basketball since his operation to treat the cancer last October. While in the procedure, he suffered a heart attack, and has been fighting significant health challenges ever since.

No one told Blake that he was coming. 

Blount explained, “Just in case something happened, medically, which prevented it – we didn’t want to disappoint Blake.”  

There was a moment when Blake saw his father enter the gym. There were tears. 

As Blount said, “No matter what the scoreboard says tonight, this night was about something that really matters.”

Blake Harris was one of four Alba-Golden senior basketball players honored at pre-game. He was joined by Landon Dunham, Sam Olson and Boogie Trimble.  The four seniors started the game together, along with teammate Brett Sutton.

Dunham opened the scoring with an offensive rebound put-back. Harris and Olson each hit a three-pointer early, and Alba-Golden took an 8-2 lead, forcing a LaPoynor time-out.

The Panthers dominated the rebounding in the opening quarter, while playing sound, fundamental defense. Olson went the length of the court with a steal to make the score 10-8, Alba-Golden, at the quarter break.

The second quarter sunk the Panthers. LaPoynor used their bread-and-butter inside game and a half-court trapping defense to turn the game decidedly in their favor. It certainly did not help that the Panthers’ shooting hand went stone cold. 

The Panthers managed only a free throw, and went into the half trailing 24-11. 

Sutton gave the home crowd a stir as the second half opened. He hit back-to-back three-pointers from the left and right baselines to begin the third period.

LaPoynor answered, and so the second half went. The teams traded scores, but Alba-Golden could not claw back from that second quarter deficit.  After the surge at the beginning of the half, the Panthers could close the score no more than 10 points. 

Strong inside play at the beginning of the fourth period forced a LaPoynor time-out, but the margin remained 11 points. 

Alba-Golden competed ‘til the final buzzer, but LaPoynor took advantage of 22 Panther turnovers, and did not allow the hosts back in the game. 

Olson led the Panthers with 13 points – the only Panther in double figures. Sutton added 7, Dunham 6, Harris 5, Cason Boyd 3, Hunter Hoffman 2, and Noah Richardson 1.